Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler says the reveal of Shuri as the MCU’s new Black Panther was hidden in plain sight all along.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler says the reveal of Shuri as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Black Panther was evident from the first trailer.
During the director’s commentary for Wakanda Forever, Coogler shared that Shuri’s role as Black Panther was hidden in plain sight in the film’s first trailer. In the trailer, Letitia Wright’s Shuri is seen wearing black clothes which, according to Coogler, is something only the Black Panther can wear. Coogler added that the Black Panther’s sporting of black clothes is “kind of like Wakandan rules in many ways.”
Prior to the film’s release, it was speculated that Shuri would take over for her brother, King T’Challa (played by the late Chadwick Boseman) as Wakanda’s protector. Other trailers for Wakanda Forever offered a glimpse at the new Black Panther in the vibranium suit, though it was not confirmed by Marvel Studios or Disney at the time. Similarly, merchandise for the Black Panther sequel also hinted at the hero’s identity without giving it away. Figures released by Marvel Legends and Funko! revealed the design of the new black-and-gold suit with the mask of the costume matching face paint designs worn by Shuri in previous MCU films.
Boseman originally portrayed T’Challa/Black Panther in 2018’s Black Panther, reprising the role in the MCU until his death in August 2020. Coogler and Marvel Studios opted not to recast T’Challa in the MCU, instead reworking the plot of Wakanda Forever to account for Boseman’s (and the character’s) absence.
Why the MCU Didn’t Recast T’Challa
“It just felt like it was much too soon to recast,” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said about recasting the character. “Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And Ryan poured that into the story.”
In a previous interview, Wright revealed that discussions about her taking on the Black Panther mantle occurred early in her MCU career with both Coogler and Boseman. At one point, Marvel Studios reportedly intended for Boseman and Shuri’s respective Black Panthers to co-exist in the MCU. “I had a chat about it with [director] Ryan [Coogler] and Chad [Boseman] when we were making Black Panther, and we touched on it briefly. When I realized I was playing Shuri, it was something that I really looked forward to.”
Along with Wright, Wakanda Forever featured returning cast members Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke, and introduced Tenoch Huerta and Dominique Thorne to the MCU. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now streaming on Disney+
Source: Marvel, via ScreenRant
