Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake' Black Panther in the Future

Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future
Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

AB+DM

Winston Duke expects Black Panther's King T'Challa to return eventually.

In a new interview with Esquire published Monday, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star, 36, expressed some frustration with Marvel Cinematic Universe fans who publicly supported for Marvel Studios to recast Chadwick Boseman's character as first trailers for the sequel were unveiled in July. (Boseman died of colon cancer in 2020 at age 43.)

Duke told the outlet that some fans "center their own need for a character when none of this would be possible if the people who brought this to life didn't participate, from behind the scenes to in front of it."

During the interview, Duke also noted that it is likely Black Panther will eventually receive a reboot, at which point another actor will take an opportunity to play T'Challa.

"There's no way they'll never remake Black Panther in the future," Duke said. "There's no way that the saga and interpretation of T'Challa, King of Wakanda, will end."

RELATED: Winston Duke's Pants 'Split Open' While Wrestling with Chadwick Boseman for Black Panther Audition

"He is canon. So trust that it'll come," the actor added. "But allow this to be a human experience."

Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future
Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future

AB+DM

Duke, who plays M'Baku in the Black Panther series, has spoken about his feelings after Boseman's death in the run-up to Wakanda Forever's release. At a New York City screening of the movie last Tuesday, the star told PEOPLE that he is understanding of the loss experienced by Chadwick Boseman's widow after the death of his own mother.

"What's been powerful here is we're all going through a lot of loss. I lost my mom recently, two weeks ago," he said at the screening. "It's tough."

Duke says he had a conversation with Taylor Simone Ledward, 31, who married Boseman in 2018, about their shared loss.

"I said to her recently, I can't say I fully understood what you were going through until today, to fully come close to understanding the grief you are experiencing."

Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future
Winston Duke Says There's 'No Way They'll Never Remake Black Panther' in the Future

AB+DM

"You know, we all showed up and participated in starting in the foundation for him at the Smithsonian," says Duke. "We're just here for her and we support her. He's going be with us forever. And she will be."

In an October interview on the Jemele Hill Is Unbothered podcast, Duke called the loss of Boseman "something that we have to wrestle with daily on set" as the Wakanda Forever team unexpectedly embarked on the highly-anticipated sequel without its lead actor.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"There was a gaping hole when it came to his presence," the actor revealed on the podcast. "You felt it daily. You felt him not being there."

"He was a very gentle presence of strength, power, and scope," Duke said of working with Boseman on the podcast. "You knew he was there, but he didn't have to say anything. He wasn't walking around with a big ego… You don't realize the impact when they're there."

RELATED: Winston Duke Says Chadwick Boseman's Death Is More Real After Loss of His Mother: 'It's Tough'

"But when they're not, it's apparent," he added. "You feel it intrinsically and that was the experience on set daily for a year."

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now.