Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to honor the late Chadwick Boseman in an emotional way while also setting the stage to showcase his successor. Marvel Studios has already confirmed that T’Challa will not be recast for the MCU, meaning that someone will take the Wakandan mantle in the sequel.
In the past months, many have speculated that the next Black Panther of the MCU will be Letitia Wright’s Shuri, but Marvel has yet to confirm such plot details. In the MCU, the Black Panther mantle is one that can be passed down and taken on by a new character, and the sequel is expected to do a deep dive into such transition after the confirmed death of T’Challa.
The first official trailer revealed that someone will indeed become the new Wakandan hero, but his or her identity is still being kept under wraps. Now, one of the Black Panther actresses has addressed the confirmed replacement.
Is Shuri the Next Black Panther?
After Marvel Studios’ mega-sized panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Shuri actress Letitia Wright was asked by several outlets if the Wakandan princess is the next Black Panther in the upcoming MCU sequel.
When asked by Josh Horowitz of MTV News if Shuri is wearing the Black Panther suit at the end of the trailer, Wright played coy about the matter, telling him that everyone should just buy tickets to find out:
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but November 11th, you get your ticket.”
Why Shuri Deserves to be the Next Black Panther
It’s not unusual that Letitia Wright is not answering the question of who the next Black Panther is in the MCU, especially considering that it is a huge spoiler. The no-answer approach of the Marvel actress would definitely build anticipation for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, thus engaging viewers even more to watch the sequel.
The fact that Lupita Nyong’o and Wright mentioned that the sequel’s cast and crew were able to move forward “with love and care” suggests that the tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman will be special and respectful to all parties involved. It also means that the expectation from them is that the fans will be satisfied with the sequel’s tribute.
As for the identity of the next Black Panther, there’s a strong chance that Shuri will take the mantle, mainly because the Wakandan princess is next in line for it. It would also be fitting if Shuri would be the one to create the next Black Panther suit since she already crafted impressive modifications to T’Challa’s suit in the first film.
If Shuri is not the next MCU hero, then the likely candidates would be Nakia or Winston Duke’s M’Baku. Nakia is qualified due to her close ties to T’Challa and being skilled in combat, while M’Baku’s leadership and immense passion for Wakanda make him a solid candidate as well.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, November 11.
