Marvel Studios made a big effort to cement Shuri as a major part of the Black Panther franchise in the 2018 movie, singling her out as of the smartest minds in the MCU. She put that to good use in Avengers: Infinity War, but like her brother T'Challa, the hero was among those blipped out of existence by Thanos.
Now, she's back, but with T'Challa no longer by her side, what role will she play in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?
Talking to Empire Online, actress Letitia Wright spoke about how Shuri's journey reflects her own in the wake of Chadwick Boseman's death. "Shuri’s journey has allowed me to grieve, to cry, to laugh, and to gain strength that I never thought I could ever have," she explains. "Trials and tribulations make you who you are. You either fold or you get up and go again."
"I feel like Shuri kept looking at me every day, asking me if I was gonna fold or go again. And I just kept going until healing started to happen for me."
The site then put it to Wright that, in the comic books, it's Shuri who inherits the Black Panther mantle after T'Challa is no longer able. Will this version of the character follow in her footsteps? "That’s a tricky question to answer," she says. "I had a chat about it with Ryan and Chad when we were making Black Panther, and we touched on it briefly."
"When I realised I was playing Shuri, it was something that I really looked forward to." Will it happen in the Black Panther sequel? That remains to be seen, though we'd say there's a good chance she's the one who suits up on November 11.
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