Earlier this afternoon brought a whole host of updates on Marvel Studios’ upcoming Black Panther 2. Production on the film is now scheduled to begin in July of 2021 (ahead of its May 2022 release date), Narcos: Mexico star Tenoch Huerta has been added as one of the movie’s villains, and also a report from THR noted that Letitia Wright character of Shuri “may take on a more prominent role.” News of more screen time for Wright has Marvel fans stoked, to the point that her name began to trend on Twitter, with many of them speculating that this could mean she will inherit the title of Black Panther from her on-screen brother, the late Chadwick Boseman.
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Marvel Studios has not confirmed how they intend to handle the real life passing of Boseman in the upcoming movie, but they previously noted that they won’t be using a CGI recreation of Chadwick Boseman for the role. Though the studio has not made it clear what they intend to do with the part of King T’Challa, whether that be re-cast or write him out of the movie, the studio has made it clear they’re not going to recreate him digitally.
“No. There’s only one Chadwick, and he’s not with us,” Marvel Studios EVP Victoria Alonso recently told Clarin. “Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to history and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really.”
Alonso added, “Because Chadwick was not only a wonder … but it also seems to me that as a character what he did elevated us as a company, and has left his moment in history. I know that sometimes two months go by or three months go by in production and one says, already, it was a long time. But it is not a long time, we have to think carefully about what we are going to do, and how, and think about how we are going to honor the franchise.”
Based on the many tweets we’ve found following the news however, it seems the fans want to see Shuri take on the role of the Black Panther, not to mention there’s comic book precedence for it!
Black Panther 2 is currently scheduled for a May 6, 2022 release.
It’s your time Shuri
It’s your time Shuri #BlackPanther2 pic.twitter.com/acrPKMAAzU
โ Duane Miller (@Cinemaniac94) November 20, 2020
I can’t wait
i cant wait for shuri to become black panther and piss off all the dudebros who got mad when they said she was the smartest person in the mcu
โ lee โฏอ they/them (@oberynsriddle) November 20, 2020
Having his younger sister follow in his footsteps is respectful
tโchalla died in the comics and shuri takes on his role. Itโs way more disrespectful to just recast him and pretend like nothing happened. Sending him off as a hero and having his younger sister follow in his footsteps is respectful https://t.co/eAcdlsF8Pj
โ Hana // endeavorโs defense attorney (@zenitsunflower) November 20, 2020
MCU fans complaining while not knowing Shuri was actually the Black Panther
cant stop laughing at MCU fans complaining while not knowing Shuri was actually the Black Panther. i feel bad for comic fans having to deal with yall fr ๐ https://t.co/cdyUox9JrB pic.twitter.com/oqHY5yhWQH
โ ๐ (@25thKiichi) November 20, 2020
Sheโd be the first black woman with a stand alone mcu movie
not to jump to conclusions or anything but if bp2 really does center around shuri being black panther then sheโd be the first black woman with a stand alone mcu movie……
โ jaaโs pink friday era (@thejaanico) November 21, 2020
pic.twitter.com/5EAQfjNHGg
It has to be her
It has to be her. The most respectful way for this to go is to honor Chadwick as T’Challa, and have Shuri step up into her own as Black Panther. Nobody needs to be recast, just shine the spotlight brighter on the incredible supporting characters and cast. https://t.co/GMvJEshEB7
โ Kim Horcher N7 (@kimscorcher) November 21, 2020
That moment when
That moment when Shuri becomes Black Panther and goes to visit her big brother and dad. pic.twitter.com/U8dYn9zKv0
โ Martin Banks (@mmmmBanks) November 21, 2020
We ready to see Shuri take the throne
Is this your Queen? Absolutely. We ready to see Shuri take the throne ๐ pic.twitter.com/IbWWqiMXp6
โ Joshua Chenault (@joshuachenault1) November 21, 2020
Has anyone considered Nakia?
So people are assuming Shuri will take the mantle for Black Panther in BP2 but has anyone considered Nakia for the mantle? pic.twitter.com/EU8pPZltmh
โ ๐ฟ๐ง. ๐๐๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ก๐ (@Drr_Sizzle) November 20, 2020
could still happen…
A lot of people are saying โif Shuri becomes Black Panther then we lose the Storm x Black Panther storylineโ
โ Jeff Yang (@originalspin) November 20, 2020
Why would we have to lose Storm x Black Panther if Shuri becomes Black Panther ๐ https://t.co/6kmFE0e59p