Marvel Studios announced during Thursday's Disney Investor Day presentation that "Black Panther 2" will have to divert its focus away from T'Challa so they will not have to recast Chadwick Boseman.

No one can take away the role of T'Challa a.k.a. Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Boseman. That is according to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. He said the franchise will not recast the character after the actor's death.

"I want to acknowledge the devastating loss of a dear friend and a member of our Marvel Studios family. Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and inspirational individual who affected all of our lives both personally and professionally," Feige said as quoted by Vulture.

"His portrayal of T'Challa, the Black Panther, is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character from any other medium in Marvel's past. It is for that reason that we will not recast the character," he announced.

Instead of recasting T'Challa, "Black Panther 2" will delve further into the beauty of the fictional kingdom of Wakanda and of its various characters. Feige revealed that the sequel will continue to explore "that world and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film." This is to honour the legacy that Boseman helped build with his portrayal of the King of Wakanda.

This puts to rest speculations concerning the appearance of the character in the franchise. Some suggested that T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) should take on the mantle as told in the Marvel comics. Then there were those who suggested the use of CGI to bring back Boseman.

In the same meeting, Marvel Studios also announced that "Black Panther 2" will hit theatres and/or streaming services on July 8, 2022. Ryan Coogler will return to direct and write the script.

"Writer-director Ryan Coogler is hard at work on the sequel now," Feige shared.

Boseman died in August this year at the age of 43 following his years-long secret battle with colon cancer. Fans will see him in his final moving outing in the George C. Wolfe film "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" opposite Viola Davis, which comes out on Nov. 25.

Chadwick Boseman, 43, died on Aug 28
"Wakanda Forever": superhero film "Black Panther" starring Chadwick Boseman in the title role -- seen here at the Oscars in 2018 -- was groundbreaking in terms of its mainly black cast. Photo: AFP / VALERIE MACON