Credit: Marvel StudiosThe next iteration of Marvel’s Black Panther has been canceled.
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Electronic Arts (EA) is scrapping its planned Black Panther game and closing down Cliffhanger Games, the studio behind the project. According to a new report from IGN, staff received an email from EA Entertainment president Laura Miele stating the decision was a result of a shift to “sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities.”
The total number of individuals affected by this decision is unconfirmed, though IGN states it’s a little less than the 300 roles cut earlier this year across other divisions of EA.
“These decisions are hard,” Miele wrote in the email. “They affect people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We’re doing everything we can to support them, including finding opportunities within EA, where we’ve had success helping people land in new roles.”
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The in-development, now-canceled Black Panther project was part of an agreement between EA and Marvel, though far more was planned than just this one game. The deal was for three titles, including one based on Iron Man and another, unannounced game.
The Black Panther game was first announced in 2023, with very little information coming out about it in the years since. Nevertheless, hype and anticipation continued to grow. The game’s developer, Cliffhanger Games, was formed in 2023, comprised of industry veterans, including a few people who had worked on Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
Little was known about the now-canceled Black Panther game, only that it was intended ot be an “original, third-person, single-player” experience.
In the email sent to staff, Miele stated that EA will focus on a handful of franchises going forward. This list includes Battlefield, Skate, and Apex Legends. However, Miele also stated that work will continue on the Iron Man game. A third Jedi game is also in the works.
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The resurgence of Black Panther in pop culture is undoubtedly thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of the character himself. Boseman starred as Black Panther in four films: Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Boseman tragically died due to complications with colon cancer in 2020. Boseman was first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, though only a select few family members knew of his illness. Boseman’s passing was felt greatly, both within the film and comic book worlds, leaving a massive gap for Marvel to fill.
A sequel to the first Black Panther film was already planned before Boseman’s death. In 2022, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released, continuing the story and paying tribute to Boseman. Both Black Panther films were directed and written by Ryan Coogler, who recently scored another home run with his original vampire flick, Sinners, which stars MCU alum Michael B. Jordan.
A third Black Panther film is planned, though details are scarce right now, as is the case with any unreleased Marvel production.
Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all Marvel news updates.