The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one that constantly releases new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Those who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that some franchises are fan favorites, chief among them being Ryan Coogler‘s Black Panther. And Michael B. Jordan recently revealed the sweet memento he keeps to remind him of late actor Chadwick Boseman.
Black Panther was an Oscar-nominated success that instantly became a sensation upon its release. Boseman became a real-life hero to many as a result, which is why his sudden passing continues to be so devastating. In a video from BAFTA, Jordan revealed that he’s got a stuffed panther that he keeps as a reminder of his late co-star, as he shared:
I see my guy right here. I see my guy right here. As soon as I see this, I think of my friend, Chadwick Boseman. [It’ll] forever remind me of him and the time we had a chance to finally work together.
The pair of stars had great chemistry in the Marvel blockbuster, with Killmonger and T’Challa battling each other and ultimately finding some common ground through Black Panther‘s ending. Unfortunately Jordan and Boseman wouldn’t be able to continue working together as a result of the latter actor’s death. You can see the panther stuffie blow:
Michael B. Jordan had a surprise cameo in Wakanda Forever, with Killmonger speaking to Shuri in the Ancestral Plane. Overall the blockbuster was a meditation on grief, with the cast and crew using their real-life feelings about Boseman death to inform the project.
The cast of the Black Panther has been very open about their feelings of grief in the years since Chadwick Boseman passed away. While Jordan has a keepsake in his home, Lupita Nyong’o has penned tributes to her late collaborator and friend. Angela Bassett also talked about the loss, and the decision not to recast the role of T’Challa with another actor.
Michael B. Jordan‘s friendship with Boseman clearly continues to mean something to him, despite the years that have passed since the late actor’s death. Grief comes in waves, and it’s heartening to hear the way the Creed star/director honors his Black Panther co-star.
Since Wakanda Forever was very much about the loss of Boseman IRL, it should be fascinating to see where Ryan Coogler takes the franchise next. Wakanda Forever‘s ending left some narrative threads to pull from, specifically the revelation that T’Challa and Nakia had a child. And while Shuri is the new Panther, she’s not ruling as the Queen of Wakanda.
While it remains to be seen when Black Panther 3 will arrive, both Shuri and M’Baku are expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday when it arrives in theaters December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list.