Fans of Marvel’s Black Panther film are petitioning for Marvel Studios to recast the role of T’Challa to honor actor Chadwick Boseman, according to HuffPost.  

Boseman, who died in August 2020 from cancer, famously portrayed King T’Challa/Black Panther in numerous films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including 2018’s Black Panther.  

Shortly after his death, Marvel said it would not recast the role, saying that Boseman portrayal of T’Challa is “iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past.”  

Emmanuel Noisette, a Chicago film critic and Marvel fan, created a Change.org petition asking Marvel to keep T’Challa alive because the character inspired Black boys and men. The petition has over 51,000 signatures.  

RELATED: Marvel Will Not Recast Chadwick Boseman’s ‘Black Panther’ Character 

“Marvel Studios removes T’Challa, it would be at the expense of the audiences (especially Black boys and men) who saw themselves in him. That includes the millions of fans who were inspired by the character as well,” the petition reads.  

Chadwick Boseman’s brother, Derrick Boseman, told TMZ he believes that his brother would want the role of T’Challa recast.  

The first film’s sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is currently in production.