Disney almost wasn’t going to make ‘Black Panther’ film

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger says that, had the company relied too much on data, it might not have made 2018’s Black Panther.

By Justina Terhember

In an interview with the New York Times, Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO from 2005 until 2020, was asked about his successor Bob Chapek saying the company is now data-driven. Iger responded by making reference to a warning he gave in October about relying solely on data when it comes to creative projects. “If we had tried to mine all the data that we had at the time to determine whether we should make a superhero movie that was essentially about an Afrofuturistic world with a Black cast, the data probably would have said, don’t do that, and Black Panther never would have been made.”

Set following the events of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther introduced audiences to the fictional African nation of Wakanda. At the box office, it made more than $1.34 billion against a budget of approximately $200 million, making it one of the highest-grossing films ever. Critically, it was incredibly well-received.

Following the release of Black Panther, a sequel was greenlit. Titled ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, production on the film has been troubled. In 2020, Boseman died at the age of 43 of colon cancer. At this time, Marvel Studios is not expected to replace Boseman, despite a high-profile petition to have someone else take up the mantle. Additionally, filming has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries suffered by Shuri actor Letitia Wright.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is slated for release on Nov. 11.