Black Panther 2, a.k.a. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has been filming since the end of June, and among the actors who are reprising their Marvel Cinematic Universe roles in the sequel is Letitia Wright. This will mark Shuri’s fourth MCU appearance, and rumor has it she’ll have a bigger role in Wakanda Forever compared to the first Black Panther movie. However, word’s come in that Wright has been hospitalized for injuries suffered during the sequel’s shoot.
This incident involving a stunt rig took place during an overnight shoot in Boston, Massachusetts, but fortunately for Letitia Wright, her injuries are minor and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s filming schedule will not be impacted. (UPDATE: Wright has been released from the hospital). Here’s what a Marvel spokesperson told Deadline:
Letitia Wright sustained minor injuries today while filming a stunt for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She is currently receiving care in a local hospital and is expected to be released soon.
While most of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s principal photography has been happening in Atlanta, Georgia, the cast and crew headed to Boston to film some scenes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with cameras specifically rolling around the western portion of the campus. While it’s unclear how MIT exactly fits into Wakanda Forever’s plot, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently revealed that Dominique Thorne will debut as Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, in the movie ahead of her Disney+ series. Since Riri is an MIT student in the comics, it’s probably safe to say that whatever’s going down at the university in Wakanda Forever will involve her.
Evidently Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will also involve Shuri getting thrown into some action at MIT since Letitia Wright’s injuries were tied to something going wrong with a stunt rig. It’s good to hear her injuries weren’t severe, as there’s no shortage of examples over the years of actors who’ve been badly injured while shooting a movie, if not worse. Earlier this month, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson even detailed all the injuries he’s suffered over his career, such as a complete shoulder separation.
No plot details for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever have been revealed yet, although following Chadwick Boseman’s passing last year, Black Panther himself, T’Challa, will not be recast, nor will he be recreated digitally. What this means for the character’s fate within the MCU remains to be seen, although given that Shuri has held the Black Panther mantle in the comics, there’s been plenty of speculation that Letitia Wright’s version of the character will follow suit. At the very least, we can count on Wright’s Shuri designed more cutting edge technology for the people of Wakanda.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will also feature the return of Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, Winston Duke’s M’Baku, Angela Bassett’s Ramonda and Martin Freeman’s Everett K. Ross. The sequel’s new faces include Michaela Coel and Tenoch Huerta, with the latter rumored to have been cast as Namor the Sub-Mariner. Wakanda Forever bows in theaters on July 8, 2022, so stay locked on CinemaBlend for updates on its progress and other upcoming Marvel movies.
