“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Star Letitia Wright Says Sequel Honors Chadwick Boseman
One of the most bittersweet intrigues in 2022’s film slate is how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever co-writer/director Ryan Coogler and his talented cast and crew handled the passing of Chadwick Boseman, the franchise’s star, in crafting the sequel without him. One person who certainly knows the answer to this question is Letitia Wright, Boseman’s co-star in the first Black Panther and one of the major returning figures in the sequel. Now, Variety has spoken with Wright about how the cast and crew dealt with Boseman’s absence from the sequel.
Lots of the speculation on how Coogler and the Marvel team would handle the loss of Black Panther himself have swirled around Wright, who was such a pivotal figure in the first film playing T’Challa (Boseman)’s brilliant sister Shuri. Would the mantel of Black Panther fall to Shuri? While we surely won’t know the answer to that question for some time, Wright was able to give Variety some insight into what the day-to-day filming was like without Boseman, and how they made sure to keep him front and center.
Wright has had some of her own struggles during the production of the sequel, including a shoulder injury and concussion she sustained during filming. Yet despite the many hurdles, with Boseman’s passing being by far the largest, she told Variety that Boseman’s legacy was honored every day. “We honored him by committing ourselves to the story that he started, the legacy that he started with this franchise,” Wright told Variety while at Cannes for her film The Silent Twins. Hear more below:
Letitia Wright reveals how “Black Panther 2” honored Chadwick Boseman on set, “We committed everyday to working hard, no matter what circumstances we faced. And we faced a lot of circumstances. A lot of difficult situations, but we came together as a team.” pic.twitter.com/9UsXU31wBS
— Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2022
Letitia Wright reveals what she learned during pandemic, “In life you just have to keep going, strong with what you believe in in terms of your talent, in terms of your desire to impact the world with your art.” pic.twitter.com/4mF2BbUvTX
— Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is due in theaters on November 11.
For more stories on Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures, Marvel Studios and what’s streaming or coming to Disney+, check these out:
Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige Teases “She-Hulk,” “Secret Invasion,” “Loki” Season 2 & More
First “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” Trailer Reveals Two Hulks for The Price of One
“Spider-Man” Director Jon Watts Will Direct New “Star Wars” Series for Disney+
Pixar Unveils First Look & Release Date of New Feature “Elemental”
Featured image: Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER..Shuri (Letitia Wright)..Ph: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2018