The road to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been rough, to say the least. Multiple production and script delays, including COVID-19, have called the sequel’s schedule into question. The latest setback occurred when Black Panther star Letitia Wright suffered an on-set injury. Initially the injury required her to take some time off, but things took a turn as Wright went back to the United Kingdom to recover. The main question for Marvel fans right now is when the Black Panther sequel will resume filming?
According to Deadline, Marvel heads Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Nate Moore announced the production hiatus in a letter to the cast and crew. In the Marvel memo, they revealed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will resume production in January with Letitia Wright set to return. Wright sent the cast and crew a video to express her appreciation, according to the publication.
With Wright set to return in January, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever appears to still be holding on to its 2022 release date. The studio left the production date open while wishing the actress a speedy recovery in the letter.
We’ve adjusted our production schedule so she has the time she needs to heal, but there’s only so much we can do without Shuri! We also want to thank Letitia for everything she’s doing to get back to the set – we know how much she loves this role, how tough it’s been for her to be away, and how hard she’s working to recover as quickly as she safely can. We are eagerly awaiting her return and we know we will all come back stronger together. Please be on the lookout for more information on your specific return-to-work date.
Clearly the injuries suffered by Letitia Wright turned out to be quite serious. And with the fan favorite character Shuri likely playing a very significant role given the loss of T'Challa, this makes a great deal of sense. Later in that same statement, an estimate for Wakanda Forever's return to production is revealed. It says,
As of now, we’re on schedule to resume filming – with Letitia – in January 2022. We are all focused on finishing the movie with excellence, honoring the memory of our dear brother Chadwick in the process. We are thrilled to share Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with the world, confident that the challenges that we have overcome together as a team will make the film even more impactful. Please take care of yourselves and enjoy the holidays.
While January is the target month, it appeared Marvel left the exact date open to give Letitia Wright enough time to recover. It is rumored that Letitia Wright might be featured more prominently in the sequel compared to the first film. The rumor might’ve been confirmed as Marvel has remained adamant about not replacing Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. With the production delay in effect to 2022, it’s unknown if Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will keep its release date. At least, the Black Panther team is focused on finishing the film after so many obstacles over the last year.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to arrive in theaters on Nov. 11, 2022.
