Lupita Nyong'o says shooting 'Wakanda Forever' was 'very therapeutic' after losing Chadwick Boseman

• Lupita Nyong'o said that filming "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was "very therapeutic."
• She told The Hollywood Reporter she was still processing Chadwick Boseman's death while filming.
• Boseman, who died of cancer in 2020, was the titular character in the first "Black Panther" movie.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" star Lupita Nyong'o said that making the upcoming Marvel movie helped her process the death of Chadwick Boseman.

Boseman, who played the titular character in the first "Black Panther" movie, died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. The news came as a shock to many as he had kept his diagnosis a secret from the public.

After appearing on the Marvel Cinematic Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Nyong'o spoke to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday about filming the sequel without Boseman.

"It's been a doozy of a few years for everybody," Nyong'o said. "For us as a cast, having lost our king, Chadwick Boseman, that was a lot to process, and in many ways, we're still processing it. When you lose someone, I don't know when you stop missing them. And of course, we felt it so much, making this film without him."

Nyong'o is not the only one to comment on Boseman's absence.

Angela Bassett, who plays Ramonda, the mother of Boseman's character, told the Guardian last year that the cast and crew "all came together and just paid homage" to Boseman before they began filming on the first week.

Martin Freeman. who plays CIA agent Everett Ross, also said to Collider earlier this year that it was "strange and sad" filming the sequel without Boseman.

Nyong'o also noted to THR the difficulty of making the film during the coronavirus pandemic.

"To make this film against all odds is a powerful statement unto itself, and I am very proud that we did it," the Nakia actress said. "It was very therapeutic. It restored a sense of hope for me in making it, and I think we've expanded the world of Wakanda in ways that will blow people's minds — not just Wakanda but the 'Black Panther' world. It's gonna blow people's minds, and I just cannot wait until it's not a secret anymore."

During the SDCC panel on Saturday, Marvel dropped the first teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel.

The trailer seemingly confirms that Boseman's character, T'Challa, will die in the movie instead of being recast.

Multiple shots show a funeral procession and there is also a mural of T'Challa, similar to the one of Iron Man "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

At the end of the trailer, a mysterious figure is seen wearing the iconic Black Panther suit, but it is unclear whether this is hinting at another character taking over the role of protector of Wakanda.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" premieres in theaters on November 11.