Sizwe Sibiya
The women are in charge in the new Black Panther movie, titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Chadwick Boseman played the lead in the original 2018 film. He was T’Challa, king of the fictional African country called Wakanda.
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Boseman was only 43 when he died in 2020 of colon cancer. He was irreplaceable – so Marvel Studios have not looked for a new T’Challa.
Instead, Letitia Wright, 28, takes the leading role in the new film, with two other actresses at her side: Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira.
Wright, who took home four acting awards for her role as Princess Shuri in the first film, has become the face of the Marvel Studios production which is set to premiere in cinemas on 11 November this year.
Princess Shuri is the younger sister of T’Challa, who is also the superhero Black Panther.
“Possessing one of the most brilliant minds in the world, the Black Panther’s sister, Princess Shuri, is also the chief science officer for Wakanda, a position she cherishes much more than her royal status,” reads a Marvel Studios handout.
Asked by Variety in 2018 why she’d taken the role of Prince Shuri, Wright said: “On the page, she was really intelligent, She was so far from the stereotypes that we see all the time.
“She likes science and she’s super cool as well. I really liked the fact that she was smart and different; she can be an inspiration. In the comic books, she becomes a Black Panther. She’s a queen in her own right.”
Princess Shuri and the Wakandans will have to fight off many enemies in Wakanda Forever.
“As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda,” said Marvel Studios, releasing the impressive trailer of Wakanda Forever on Monday.
Image source: Marvel Studios
