Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now in production, and some new set photos will give fans a taste of faces both old and new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Black Panther 2 has seen several set photos leak, as well as an intense stunt video that teased the franchise’s next great car chase sequence. However, this latest batch of photos gives fans a look at Letitia James’ Shuri, who now has a pivotal role to play in the Black Panther series after the death of T’Challa actor Chadwick Boseman. Moreover, we get a look at Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, who is making her MCU debut in Black Panther 2.
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SEE: Black Panther 2 Set Photos Reveal Riri Williams & Shuri
The Cosmic Circus broke this report about filming on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is currently on location at MIT, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Here’s what a source close to the set had to report:
“I was at MIT today while they were doing day shoots for Black Panther 2. Wanted to share what we saw.
One scene we saw being filmed outside the Stratton Student Center was Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) talking to a male (I presume) student. It was a pretty quick scene. She had a gray shirt on. The male student was a taller, white male, wearing a dark red shirt. Extras acting like students walked around in the background.
The Riri scene was just her and a guy talking, then she walked away, and pulled out her cellphone. Very short.”
In Marvel Comics, Riri Williams is the young teenage prodigy who goes to MIT at age 15. While at school, Riri steals components to build her own Iron Man armor suit and has to go on the run in the suit when her theft is found out. Eventually, Riri’s exploits caught the attention of Tony Stark, but instead of stopping the young girl, Stark was impressed enough to sponsor her advancement into becoming the superheroine Ironheart. An Ironheart series is already in the works for Disney+, and obviously, the MCU Riri Williams will need a new mentor since Tony Stark is gone. now we know where she can find one:
The other set photos from Wakanda Forever revealed some Dora Milaje and a hooded figure (reportedly confirmed to be Letitia James’ Shuri) arriving at (leaving?) MIT. Here’s what the source says about that scene:
“We saw them prepping another scene, also outside the Stratton Center. A black Lexus was parked, and there were two actors outside it. Once was definitely a Dora Milaje (couldn’t tell if it was Danai or someone else). Another actress was there as well, but she had on a black hood and robe so couldn’t tell who it was. I think they were talking to Ryan Coogler, but it could have been another member of the crew.”
With Tony Stark gone, Shuri is now one of (if not the) leading intellects on Earth when it comes to engineering and technology – she’s the level of mentor that Riri Williams really wants and deserves. It also echoes perfectly with the ending of Black Panther and T’Challa’s(and really Chadwick Boseman’s) legacy of using Wakanda’s resources and knowledge to enrich the lives of Black people all over the world.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be in theaters on July 8, 2022.
