Next year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will have another one of its massive crossover events with the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Among other things, this will put directors Joe and Anthony Russo back in charge of several MCU characters who are usually the purview of other creatives. However, Black Panther franchise director Ryan Coogler doesn’t mind, as he works closely with them when his part of the MCU is involved and says they’re really respectful.

In a recent appearance on SiriusXM radio, Ryan Coogler was asked about the appearance of Wakandans in Avengers: Doomsday, as we know from the Doomsday cast announcement that, at the very least, the new Black Panther, Letitia Wright, will appear in the film. While Coogler was able to avoid directly discussing the next Avengers film, he did talk about working with the Russos on other projects where Black Panther appeared. He said…

Black Panther made his debut in Captain America: Civil War, but it was always the plan for the character to get a solo movie. As such, Coogler was brought in to start early work on Black Panther alongside the production of Civil War. Chadwick Boseman’s casting as T’Challa for the Captain America movie was made with Coogler’s support.

Collaboration has to be an important part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Numerous writers, directors and actors are working on different projects in the franchise all at once. To make them all fit together, and to make sure one character is consistent from one movie to the next, it’s going to mean relying on the people who know those characters better.

It seems the Russo Brothers are more than happy to ask for Ryan Coogler’s assistance when it comes to getting Black Panther right. They’ve done it before, and while Coogler doesn’t say, it’s more than likely they’ve reached out to him for Doomsday as well.

Coogler’s not the only one who has collaborated with the Russo Brothers to make sure his characters are handled properly. James Gunn has talked about going over music choices with the Russos for the Guardians of the Galaxy’s part of Infinity War.

Of course, if the Russo Brothers are going to be collaborating and consulting with everybody in charge of the various MCU franchises, that’s going to be a lot more people this time around. The MCU is exponentially bigger than it was during Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Still, that work will only make Avengers: Doomsday better.

I’m a huge fan of horse operas, and I’ve watched many of the best westerns of all time.

However, one thing that has always kind of bugged me about the genre is that a number of classic westerns either A: Don’t feature any Black characters whatsoever, or B: feature Black characters, but in a minute role, or in a demeaning fashion (I’m looking at you, 1931 Cimarron).

That’s why when I see Black characters featured prominently in westerns, I get super excited. So, here are just a few such examples. Yah!

Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) - Unforgiven

The story of a disfigured sex worker, and the bounty her friends put on the men who did it to her, Unforgiven is often seen as a meditative western, starring none other than Clint Eastwood. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I often go back and forth on whether I think The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Unforgiven is the better western.

Eastwood, who also directed the Oscar-winning film, is the star of the picture, and he plays William Munny, a former outlaw who has a failing farm and needs the money. He enlists the help of his friend, Ned Logan, played by Morgan Freeman, as well as a rather green cowboy who goes by the name of “the Schofield Kid”.

Well, unlike Munny, who still has the heart of a killer, Ned doesn’t, and he’s conflicted about coming back into the field. In one pivotal moment, he shows he can no longer kill a man, as he truly did leave that life behind. And, I just love how three dimensional his character is. Ned is a man who wants to help – both the sex workers, as well as his old riding buddy – but he really struggles because he feels like he can’t anymore.

Unfortunately, Logan comes up against the villainous Little Bill (who is definitely a cop who doesn’t follow the rules), and his story is a tragic one. But, it’s also memorable in a genre that doesn’t always have memorable performances for Black actors.

Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler) - The Harder They Fall

In this predominantly Black western directed by Jeymes Samuel, a cowboy named Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) seeks vengeance against a terrifying outlaw named Rufus Buck (Idris Elba). As a plus, basically all of the principle characters are based off of real people, so this story doubles as historical fiction.

With a cast as stacked as this one, I literally could have picked any of the characters, but I’m choosing Cuffee, played by Danielle Deadwyler, since she’s the most fascinating to me.

Based on the real Cathay Williams, who was the first (and ostensibly only) woman to serve in the U.S. Army during the American Frontier Wars (she posed as a man), Cuffee is interesting because she is probably the best shooter out of the bunch of sharpshooters. Hers is a tale of being both underestimated, but also feared, for her proficiency with a firearm.

My favorite moment is when she squares up against Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield), since it has all the hallmarks of a battle for the quickest hand. Honestly, I wish there were more excellent roles for Black women in westerns. We don’t get nearly enough of them. Speaking of which…

Moses “Mo” Washington (Letitia Wright) - Surrounded

In a post-Civil War America, Mo Washington (Letitia Wright) is a free woman looking for gold. But, due to unforeseen circumstances, Washington has to stay with an outlaw (Jamie Bell) as others go out for help after her stagecoach was attacked.

Wright, who I first learned about through Black Panther, is an indomitable force in this movie. You know she’s tough since she plays a former Buffalo Soldier, but her toughness is put to the test when dealing with Jamie Bell’s character, who offers a pretty ostentatious performance.

But, Mo plays it cool. As a Black woman, there are many who don’t take her seriously. That is until she whips out her pistols and makes them take her seriously.

Much like Cuffee in the last entry, Mo understands that she’s underestimated, which is why it’s all the more satisfying when she puts ignorant men in their place.

Buck (Sidney Poitier) - Buck And The Preacher

In this exciting western, which was also Poitier’s directorial debut, he plays a former soldier named Buck who helps get other Black people across the country through indigenous territory. Buck has struck a sort of agreement with the indigenous people, which comes in handy later when white bounty hunters try to get Buck to stop his work. It all culminates in an exciting conclusion.

Buck and the Preacher is a really fun film, and I regret that I didn’t mention it in my list of Sidney Poitier’s best movies after he passed. Also starring Harry Belafonte as the “Preacher” (I put it in quotes since he’s not really a preacher), and Ruby Dee as Buck’s wife, the film is action-packed and humorous in all the best ways.

One thing I love about Buck is that he sticks to his guns and doesn’t run from his duties to help other African Americans. I also like that he always seems two steps ahead, and that he has formed a sort of kinship with the indigenous people, as they both find a common adversary who they can rally against.

There may be more recognizable Sidney Poitier movies, but when it comes to westerns featuring Black characters, Buck and the Preacher is certainly one of the best.

Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright) - Ride With The Devil

Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil is a western like no other.

Telling the story of the warring factions between the Jayhawks and the Bushwackers back in Civil War times, Ride With the Devil tells a complicated tale of white men killing each other.

So why, pray tell, is it on this list, then? Well, because of Jeffrey Wright's character, Daniel Holt, a former slave who is fighting on the Confederate side since his freedom was bought by his Southern friend.

This is definitely one of Jeffrey Wright's best roles because he plays such a complex character. And this is because he's not conflicted about which side he's chosen. He'd rather fight beside his friend than fight for his potential future, which is a unique perspective, to be sure.

Django Freeman (Jamie Foxx) - Django Unchained

In this revisionist western from Quentin Tarantino, a former slave (Jamie Foxx) is enlisted by a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to hunt down some suspects, only to eventually become a bounty hunter himself; unchained, as it were.

I like to watch Django Unchained during Black History Month, because it's just so satisfying to watch as a Black man.

Django goes from being shackled to shooting a plantation owner dead in his own mansion. What's not to love?

Django is a particularly fascinating character, though, since he flourishes so wonderfully. My favorite part is when he's decked out in that fancy blue outfit, and he kills a racist jerk with gusto. I mean, seriously. How cool can you possibly get?

Major Marquis Warren, "The Bounty Hunter" (Samuel L. Jackson) - The Hateful Eight

In yet another western by Tarantino (which was supposedly a sequel to Django Unchained before Tarantino scrapped the idea), a collective of people with different motives are stuck in a cabin together during a snowy winter day. Violence ensues.

Some might say that Tarantino did Jackson dirty in Django by making him an Uncle Tom-esque character, but if so, he did right by him in The Hateful Eight, where Jackson is arguably the coolest character in the movie.

Playing a bounty hunter this time around, Jackson manages to get one up on pretty much everybody he encounters. This makes an argument for Major Marquis Warren being one of the greatest characters in Jackson's lengthy career.

Not everybody adores The Hateful Eight when considering Tarantino's filmography, it's actually my second favorite movie of his (right after Pulp Fiction, of course), and Jackson's character is definitely the reason why.

For more news on any future westerns, be sure to swing by here often!

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine over the last decade and change, consistently releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. That includes Ryan Coogler's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which crushed at the box office. In that movie Letitia Wright's Shuri was made into the new Panther, and fans are eager to see her return in an upcoming Marvel movie. And the 30 year-old actress recently explained how Chadwick Boseman’s memory inspired her while facing a serious on set injury.

Chadwick Boseman's death shocked fans and his colleagues alike back in 2020, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was reworked to honor him. Shuri actress Letitia Wright was injured on set, and recently spoke on The View about how her late co-star helped her get through it. In her words: 

How touching is that? Clearly the bond shared between these two on-screen siblings was strong. And while Wright might have been mourning, it sounds like Chadwick Boseman continued to be an inspiration during production of Wakanda Forever. And the Black Panther 2 reviews definitely praised this mixture of art and reality. 

Wright's comments on The View make a great deal of sense for those who followed the story of Chadwick Boseman's passing. His battle with colon cancer was a private one, and the context of his pain and spirit was only made obvious after his death. Indeed, Denzel Washington even talked about Boseman hiding his illness while working on Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. 

Per Letitia Wright's sentiments, it seems like the pain that came from her Black Panther 2 injury made her think of just how strong Boseman had to be while leading the first movie. Clearly the late actor continues to be a hero both for people on and off camera. 

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know how much of a splash Chadwick Boseman made when debuting as Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, followed by appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Although it's Coogler's OG Black Panther movie that really shows off his talents, as well as the gorgeous world of Wakanda that the cast and crew built together.

Letitia Wright's time in the MCU is streaming now on Disney+. While we wait for information about what comes next for Shuri, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Doctor Who is a British institution, and while it’s made household names of the actors who take on the mantle of The Doctor, it’s also cast many stars in guest roles. So, with that in mind, we took a journey through the iconic modern era run of the beloved BBC show, and found 32 famous actors who played a minor role in this time lord’s journey. 

Jonathan Bailey

While we know and love Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton on one of Netflix’s best series, Bridgerton, and as Fiyero in the Wicked cast, you might not be aware that he was in Season 8 of Doctor Who in the episode “Time Heist.” He starred alongside Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor, playing the hacker Psi. 

Brett Goldstein

Brett Goldstein appeared in the Season 11 episode “The Tsuranga Conundrum '' alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. During the episode that saw The Doctor and co. stuck on a spaceship while an enemy tries to destroy it, and the Emmy-winning actor played the head nurse Astos. Then, two years later, Goldstein became a household name when he joined the Ted Lasso cast as the beloved grouchy player-turned-coach Roy Kent. 

Carey Mulligan

Before Carey Mulligan starred in movies like Drive, Promising Young Woman and Maestro, she played the young Sally Sparrow in the Season 3 episode “Blink.” Not only is this episode one with some of Doctor Who’s best quotes, but it’s also one of the most iconic stories in the show’s history as David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor took on the Weeping Angels. 

Olivia Colman 

In one of Doctor Who’s best episodes, and Matt Smith’s first as the Eleventh iteration of the time lord, Olivia Colman played “Mother,” a woman who is taken over by Patient Zero in “The Eleventh Hour.” After that, the actress, of course, went on to win an Oscar for The Favourite, and she starred in various other successful projects including the film The Lost Daughter, and the series Broadchurch and The Crown. 

James Corden

Long before James Corden was hosting The Late Late Show, he guest starred in two of Matt Smith’s episodes as his pal and flatmate Craig, most notably in the Season 5 episode “The Lodger.” 

Andrew Garfield

He may be best known as The Amazing Spider-Man and for films like The Social Network and Tick, Tick…Boom! but before all that, Andrew Garfield starred alongside David Tennant in two Doctor Who episodes, “Daleks in Manhattan” and “Evolution of the Daleks.” He played Frank, a boy who gets the Doctor to help get rid of the Daleks. 

Bill Nighy 

In one of the most moving episodes of Doctor Who, “Vincent and The Doctor,” Bill Nighy plays Dr. Black, who works at the museum where Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait is held. Before starring in the emotional Matt Smith-led episode all about the aforementioned painter, Nighy was best known for movies like Love, Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean. Since then, he’s been in films including About Time, Emma. and Living, which he got an Oscar nomination for. 

Daniel Kaluuya

You know Daniel Kaluuya? That’s right, the star of Jordan Peele’s movies Get Out and Nope and the man who won an Oscar for Judas and The Black Messiah. Well, before all of that, he played Barclay in Season 4 of Doctor Who in the episode “Planet of the Dead,” where he helped the Tenth Doctor fix an engine after a double-decker bus they were on got stuck in a very sandy place.  

Felicity Jones

Before she entered a galaxy far, far away in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story or received her Oscar nomination for The Theory of Everything, Felicity Jones guest starred on Doctor Who. In 2008, she played Robina Redmond opposite the Tenth Doctor in the episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp,” which was a fun take on Agatha Christie and her mysteries. 

Ian McKellen

While you don’t see Sir Ian McKellen in Doctor Who, his voice is undeniable, as he was the man behind The Great Intelligence in Matt Smith’s 2012 Christmas special  “The Snowmen.” This special appearance was just another feather in this iconic British actor’s cap in the world of genre as he’s best known for playing Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films as well as Magneto in the X-Men movies. 

Maisie Williams

Obviously, we know Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, an integral character in the Game of Thrones cast. However, she also starred in another series that’s considered a British institution when she appeared in four of Peter Capaldi’s Season 9 Doctor Who episodes – “The Girl Who Died,” “The Woman Who Lived,” “Face the Raven'' and “Hell Bent” – as Ashildr (AKA Me) the immortal Viking. 

Michael Gambon 

In Doctor Who’s 2010 Christmas special, “A Christmas Carol,” the Eleventh Doctor finds himself with a very Scrooge-like character named Kazran Sardick, played by the late Michael Gambon. The actor also played the antagonist’s father Elliot Sardick. Of course, before this, he also starred in another tentpole fantasy franchise by playing Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter movies. 

John Hurt 

In the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, John Hurt joined Matt Smith and David Tennant as a regeneration of the time lord named the War Doctor, who lived between the eighth and ninth versions of The Doctor. He was, of course, played by the late great John Hurt, who was known for iconic films like Alien and The Elephant Man. He was a legendary British actor, and he played a pivotal role in the long-running BBC series.

Gemma Chan

From the beloved and star-studded rom-com Crazy Rich Asians to Marvel’s The Eternals, Gemma Chan’s star has grown immensely over the last few years. However, before that, she played geologist Mia Bennett in the 2009 episode “The Waters of Mars” alongside David Tennant’s Doctor. 

Michael Sheen

David Tennant plays the demon to Michael Sheen’s angel in Good Omens, but before they shared the screen together, the Aziraphale actor voiced a House on the show that made his co-star a household name. During Matt Smith’s run as The Doctor during the episode “The Doctor’s Wife,” the actor known for Frost/Nixon and Masters of Sex voiced the evil entity that lived just outside the universe. 

Richard E. Grant

With over 140 credits to his name, including Gosford Park and Hudson Hawk, Richard E. Grant is a legendary British actor. In Doctor Who he played an equally iconic role as the antagonist Dr. Simeon in the Eleventh Doctor-led Christmas special “The Snowmen.” After that, the actor who played a variant of Loki in Marvel’s most timey-wimey show, returned to Dr. Simeon for the Season 7 episode “The Name of the Doctor.” 

Jonathan Groff

As one of the first big actors to guest star in Ncuti Gatwa’s run as the Fifteenth Doctor, Jonathan Groff joined the cast for a Regency-era episode. Before making a brief appearance on Doctor Who, Groff made a name for himself on Broadway in shows including Merrily We Roll Along and Hamilton. He also voiced Kristoff in both Frozen films, and starred in David Fincher’s series Mindhunter. Talk about range. 

Stephen Fry

During the Thirteenth Doctor’s run, Stephen Fry played a role in the Season 12 episode “Spyfall" as C, the head of MI6. An iconic character actor, Fry has over 190 credits to his name, and he is best known for films like Wilde and V for Vendetta. 

Simon Pegg

Long before he was choosing to accept missions with Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible movies and leading Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy – which is Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End – Simon Pegg guest starred on Doctor Who. He played The Editor in Season 1 of the modern era, and went up against Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth generation of the time lord. 

Kylie Minogue

Yes, you read that right, Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue, singer of “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “Chiggy Wiggy,” did star in a 2007 episode of Doctor Who titled “Voyage of the Damned.” During Season 4, she was featured alongside Tennant’s Doctor as Astrid, an alien waitress. 

Helen McCrory

Helen McCrory played Rosanna in the 2010 Doctor Who episode “The Vampires of Venice.” The Peaky Blinders star joined Matt Smith’s Doctor as the leader of the Saturnyns. Along with the two iconic BBC shows, the actress also played Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies and starred in The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Toby Jones

In the episode “Amy’s Choice,” Toby Jones played the Dream Lord. This spooky villain that comes from the darker side of The Eleventh Doctor is another fun character in Jones’ cap, as he also voiced Dobby in the Harry Potter films and played Dr. Zola in the Captain America movies as well as Claudius Templesmith in The Hunger Games. 

Neil Patrick Harris

Joining the episode of the three-part 60th Anniversary special, Neil Patrick Harris played the Toymaker and witnessed the historic bi-generation. The How I Met Your Mother alum faced off against David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor as well as Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. 

Timothy Dalton

Yep, you read that right, James Bond was in Doctor Who too. Timothy Dalton – who played 007 in License to Kill and The Living Daylights – guest starred in the Tenth Doctor’s 2009 episodes “End of Time” parts one and two where he played The Narrator and Lord President Rassilon, the founder and first leader of The Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. 

Brian Cox

In “End of Time,” Brian Cox wasn’t seen on screen with David Tennant, however, you can hear him, because he voiced Elder Ood, who is of an alien race the Doctor works to protect. While you don’t see Cox physically in the episode, you can see him as the patriarch of the Succession cast, Logan Roy, and you can check out movies of his, including Troy and Manhunter. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright’s future is as the Black Panther, but prior to playing Shuri in the MCU and starring in other fun projects, she appeared in the Season 9 episode “Face the Raven” with Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. In Doctor Who, she played Anahson, an orphan looking for her mother. 

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

While Gugu Mbatha-Raw is best known for travelling through time and space as Ravonna Renslayer in Loki, she also played Tish Jones in four episodes of Doctor Who’s fourth season alongside David Tennant. The actress who played Martha’s sister in these episodes then went on to star in many films, including Belle, and series like The Morning Show. 

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

You likely know Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the kid from Love, Actually or from his work in The Maze Runner movies and The Queen’s Gambit. However, he also starred in a pair of Doctor Who episodes in Season 3 alongside David Tennant as Tim Latimer, a schoolboy from 1913.  

Alan Cumming

The host of The Traitors and star of The Good Wife, Alan Cumming starred as King James I in the Season 11 episode “The Witchfinders.” In the episode featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, this star of stage and screen played the king of a nation that was in the midst of a witch trial when the time lord showed up. 

Iain Glen

Iain Glen played Octavian in the 2010 Doctor Who episodes titled “The Time of Angels” and “Flesh and Stone.” While the actor made a name for himself on Game of Thrones as Jorah, Daenerys’ protector, he was trying to protect his team and The Doctor from the Weeping Angels in this set of Matt Smith-led episodes. 

Anthony Head

Anthony Head played Rupert Giles in 123 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Uther Pendragon in 43 episodes of Merlin. He also portrayed the evil headmaster Lassar in one episode of Doctor Who – “School Reunion” – back in its second season alongside David Tennant. 

Jacob Anderson 

You likely remember Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm from Game of Thrones or Louis de Pointe du Lac in the series Interview with a Vampire. In the midst of all that, he joined Season 13 of Doctor Who for a recurring role as Vinder, a pilot and guardian who watches from Observation Outpost Rose and worked with the Thirteenth Doctor across seven episodes. 

As you can see, the list of actors who have made minor appearances on Doctor Who is long and wickedly impressive. From legendary actors like Ian McKellen and Olivia Colman and modern TV staples like Jonathan Bailey and Brett Goldstein, it’s hard to believe that all these folks aided (or tried to stop) The Doctor on their wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey journey through time and space, but they all did!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has countless TV and movie properties, although a few stand out as fan favorites. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is definitely in that category, and its sequel Wakanda Forever was a powerful meditation on grief which also saw a new Panther take on the mantle. And actress Leittia Wright recently opened up about Shuri’s future in the MCU. Let’s break it all down.

Black Panther 2 was very much focused on Shuri, and how she was grieving her brother T’Challa’s death a year after his death. Throughout the movie Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda was killed off, and Shuri found a way to replicate the heart-shaped herb and become the next Panther. Letitia Wright spoke to People about her signature character’s future, saying:

Well, I’m definitely ready to see the Princess of Wakanda back on the big screen, especially now that she’s the new Black Panther. In addition to any superheroics that are coming down the line, Wright also highlighted the emotional interpersonal stories that will likely be explored. This includes the twist ending of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which revealed that T’Challa and Nakia had a child before his death.

As Wright pointed out, The Wakanda Royal Family has suffered a great deal of loss since they were introduced in the MCU. King T’Chaka died early in Captain America: Civil War, which inspired Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa to join #TeamIronMan. Eventually he perished too, followed by Queen Ramonda in Black Panther 2. Now Shuri is the only one left… except for her newly discovered nephew.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever left a number of questions, including exactly who is ruling the fictional country. While Shuri became the new Panther, she didn’t do a trial to become Queen. Instead it was heavily implied that M’Baku was finally going to take the throne. Later in the same interview with People, Letitia Wright pointed to the source material about Shuri’s future, saying:

Well, I’m certainly intrigued. Unfortunately, there’s no indication as to when Letitia Wright’s signature character might return to the big screen. Perhaps the most obvious choice would be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which is expected to be the shared universe’s next big crossover moment. But it’s currently unclear which characters will be included. Although Simu Liu does seem to believe Shang-Chi will be in on the fun.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry, and it's constantly growing. One of the biggest movies in Phase Four was Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The movie was a beautiful meditation on grief, where Letitia Wright became the protagonist of the franchise. And Wright recently explained why playing Shuri was so difficult for Wakanda Forever.

Black Panther 2 was a big payoff for fans, especially those of us who have watched the Marvel movies in order. Letitia Wright offered a super emotional performance, with audiences watching as Shuri finally worked through the grief for her brother. The 29-year-old actress recently spoke to ComicBook about the challenges that came with that critically acclaimed sequel. In her words:

Sounds about right. While Shuri was largely a comedic presence in Ryan Coogler’s original Black Panther movie, the stakes were far more high for her in Wakanda Forever. The movie opened on T’Challa’s death, and followed as Shuri initially blocked out her feelings before finally processing the grief and trauma. 

While the material itself was emotional, filming Black Panther 2 was no doubt grueling for the cast and crew because of their real feelings of grief. The movie honored the life death of Chadwick Boseman, and the performances were likely informed by real-life feelings. Indeed, Lupita Nyong’o even called the process therapeutic, allowing her and others to channel their feelings into art.

In addition to the story of T’Challa, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also killed off Angela Bassett's Queen Ramonda in a gorgeous and tragic way. So it makes sense that Letitia Wright didn’t get much time away from emotionally tolling material. We’ll just have to wait and see when Shuri returns to the MCU, especially since she’s the new Black Panther. I’d assume she’d be part of the ensemble cast of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty but we’ll have to see.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Let me tell you something that truly changed my life as a young girl – women in movies. There are so many blockbuster films that I watched as a kid and fell in love with because of not only the content I was viewing, but the badass actresses I was watching on the screen. From sci-fi horror movies to dystopian young adult films, I have and will always be in love with these amazing actresses who put their all into leading these blockbuster movies to success – or having standout roles that I truly can’t forget. Here are some of my favorites, from Viola Davis to Sigourney Weaver.

Viola Davis (The Woman King)

Obviously, we need to start this list with a killer performance from 2022, Viola Davis in The Woman King cast. She's had plenty of awesome roles before that you might recognize her from, but her portrayal of General Nanisca, of the real-life warrior women, the Agojie, did something to me and wow, I’ve never been terrified of Viola Davis kicking my butt, but here we are. If you haven’t had the chance to watch her in this fantastic Black-led film, please do so.

Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) 

The Mad Max: Fury Road cast was filled with stars who have gone on do plenty, but everyone always talks about Charlize Theron, who portrayed Furiosa in the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film. There’s a reason why there’s a prequel film coming out about her character – she was badass, a killer, and I would watch her over and over again if I could. 

Letitia Wright And Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a different turn in the world Black Panther, putting T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, and his mother played by Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, at the forefront. Through their strong performances in a story about Wakanda post-T’Challa, and their journey through grief, they gave compelling performances. Bassett was even nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film. 

Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

If you want to talk about one of the most iconic college films of all time, Legally Blonde needs to be on that list. The story is of a former fashion student, played by the lovely Reese Witherspoon, who goes to Harvard in order to win her boyfriend back. Elle Woods is the picture perfect example of when you put your mind into something and being able to achieve it – and she did that and more once she got into that school. Witherspoon's Elle was the perfect casting. 

Zoe Saldana (Avatar Films)

Let’s be honest – when it comes to the Avatar films, we all remember Neytiri more than Jake. He’s cool and all, but Neytiri. 

In both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, Zoe Saldana gave an incredible performance as Neytiri, not only as a warrior but as a mother in the sequel, showing amazing emotions through a motion capture performance. 

While Zoe Saldana is known for many other amazing roles (like playing Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Uhura in the Star Trek franchise), showing just how much of a badass she is, there's really nothing quite as amazing as her role in these films.  

She’s right up there with Andy Serkis with these incredible motion-capture roles. You can’t help but love her. 

Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

If you haven’t had the chance to watch the Best Picture winner, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, I’d highly suggest watching it, if not just for Michelle Yeoh’s incredible performance. Winning the Oscar for Best Actress, Yeoh is electric in her starring role as the matriarch of this movie’s family, and displays an impressive range of emotions and badass martial arts that makes this film fantastic. Trust me when I say every bit of time viewing this movie is worth it. 

Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games Series)

Jennifer Lawrence was someone that I grew up watching in The Hunger Games franchise, and while I am excited for the prequel film that will star another great young actress (Rachel Zegler), no one can defeat the powerful performance that Lawrence gave through all four movies. A revolutionary like Katniss, living in a world that is overcome with chaos and unfairness, and leading a war for freedom is the perfect example of what a reluctant leader is, even though she rocked her responsibilities at the same time. 

Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)

You want to hear a fun story? When I saw Marvel’s Avengers with my dad, way back in 2012, when I was thirteen years old, I knew nothing about superheroes, only that most of the popular ones were male. Then I saw Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) and looked up at my dad and said, “she’s a girl.”

Ever since then, my love of superheroes blossomed, but it always started with me seeing someone like me on the big screen. While I personally believe Black Widow should have happened sooner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no denying that Johansson delivers a stellar final performance playing the role that made me love Marvel in the first place. 

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)

Let’s talk about another female superhero – one I did know way back when, Wonder Woman, and how Gal Gadot is literally the perfect person to play the iconic role, both in Wonder Woman and its sequel. She had the beauty of the famous character, but was able to bring a fierceness I had never seen, a bravery that made me want to go out and be as strong as her. I’ll always be upset that the chances of her continuing to play her are low now, but I enjoyed her as the hero for the time that we got her. 

Uma Thurman (Kill Bill Vol. 1 And 2)

God, do I love a vengeful woman. There’s something about watching a girl be a complete badass and take down her enemies that I adore, and both Kill Bill movies, starring Uma Thurman, are just that. While she has been in plenty of other amazing films, her as the Bride was utter perfection and I would, hands down, dress up as her for Halloween if I could. Definitely one of Quentin Tarantino’s best – and yes, I still want to see a sequel years later. 

Sigourney Weaver (Alien)

An icon among icons; you can’t have a list like this and not bring up Sigourney Weaver. Famous for her role in the sci-fi horror film, Alien, she is the blueprint for badass female action stars. Ellen Ripley is an iconic character in every shape and form, but she could only become as historic as she is now thanks to Weaver’s portrayal. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. 

Angelina Jolie (Maleficent)

Disney villains sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell you, I never thought I would feel bad for Maleficent, who seemed to be the pure portrayal of evil in Sleeping Beauty – that was until the live-action Maleficent, where she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie. 

I swear, anything Jolie touches ends up turning to gold, but her as Maleficent did something to me. She was able to still accurately portray that viciousness that made her such a good villain in the first place, but add so much heart to the character I never thought possible, including a backstory that truly shook me. In terms of live-action Disney villain movies, you can’t get better than this.  

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Fun fact – Gravity is one of the only films in my life that I ever felt sort of sick while watching – because who wants to imagine spinning around in space for hours. But that doesn’t mean Sandra Bullock’s performance wasn’t amazing. Featuring the story of astronauts who are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed, Bullock truly shows what terror is like with her performance, and made me quite scared of space. She even got an Academy Award nomination for it. 

Carrie Fisher (The Star Wars Movies)

While we can talk about iconic Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, let’s be honest – they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. Featuring an iconic performance in all three original films, as well as the sequels later on, Carrie Fisher made young girls want to travel the galaxy and be just as brave as her, as she did for me. While Natalie Portman and Daisy Ridley also brought us iconic characters like Padme and Rey, there’s no one quite like Leia. 

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

Julia Roberts is a queen of rom-coms and has truly helped create some of the best movies, and one of my favorites from her is Pretty Woman. An iconic film about a sex worker getting to live a life of luxury after being hired and falling in love with a rich man, Roberts gave the performance of a lifetime and made us all believe in love – also receiving several nominations and awards for her performance in the film. 

Neve Campbell (Scream)

Scream is probably one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time and certainly one of the best horror movies ever, but what is Scream without its final girl, Sidney Prescott? Portrayed by Neve Campbell, the actress brought the character to life for five Scream films before ultimately not coming back to the role for Scream VI. However, she became many people's favorite final girl with how she always made it out alive – with a gun in her hands. 

Meryl Streep And Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, both of whom are just amazing in Mamma Mia! Admittedly one of my favorite movies, these two actresses perfectly capture the relationship between a mother and daughter, while also having their own compelling storylines of finding love on a remote Greek island. You really can’t get better than them. 

These are just few performances from blockbuster movies that are led by women, and I’m sure there are some I'm missing, but if you choose to watch any of these films for any reason, you won’t be wasting your time. Every single one of them is absolutely amazing. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been riding high as it continues to be a force at the box office. On top of its commercial success, the blockbuster sequel has picked multiple trophies and nominations during this awards season. It appears to be following in similar footsteps to its predecessor on the road to the Oscars, so talks of a second Black Panther sequel are bound to spring up with all this success. Considering all this goodwill, Wakanda Forever’s Letitia Wright offered up a new update on a potential threequel.

The Wakanda Forever leading lady opened up about a possible second sequel to Variety while on the Golden Globes red carpet. Like many Marvel stars, Wright kept mum about whether a follow-up film was in the works. But she did mention it might be some time before the Marvel faithful get another sequel after the emotionally-heavy Black Panther follow-up. Check out what the Silent Twin star had to say about another sequel in the revealing Twitter clip below.

Much like the time between the first and second films, it appears the Black Panther family needs a rest after dealing with the loss of both Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa. The sequel saw the Wakanda citizens lose another key figure in Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda, so tthe film’s emotional heft was a lot to manage both on and off screen. Taking a break after two years of production sounds like the right thing to do. Wakanda Forever has been a massive success in multiple ways, but as Wright said, the break will give Ryan Coogler enough time to write the threequel script. While there’s been no official word on Black Panther 3, the MCU star did her best to keep those developments close to the vest.

Much like its predecessor, Wakanda Forever has emerged as an award-season darling, picking up wins and nominations since its release in November 2022. While the entire cast has been singled out for their performances, Angela Bassett has been making noise on the awards show circuit picking up notable nominations, including SAG, Satellite, and Critics’ Choice Awards. She scored the second Golden Globe win of her career while becoming the first MCU star to win a major acting award for a Marvel film. The sequel hasn’t done too shabby either, racking up multiple nominations from those award shows, along with Black Reel Awards. Now, as the Academy Awards nominations quickly approach, fans will have to wait and see how many noms the sequels and its stars will pick up on nomination day.

Picking up award wins and scoring big at the box office should help Marvel and Disney in their decision to greenlight a possible third Black Panther film. Until fans get an official announcement, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still in theaters. But soon the blockbuster sequel will be available for home viewing as it starts streaming on February 1 for those with a Disney+ subscription. After Wakanda Forever’s release, the MCU's Phase 5 will commence with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which hits theaters on February 17, with more new Marvel movies premiering over the next year or so.

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe greatly expanded its scope, thanks to both TV and movie projects. But throughout it all the most hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie was Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This is thanks to the massive popularity of the first movie, as well as the real-life emotions tied to late star Chadwick Boseman. And some Black Panther 2 concept art has revealed that Shuri’s costume could have been like if Boseman hadn’t surprisingly passed away.

Ryan Coogler and company had already created a script for Black Panther 2 when Chadwick Boseman died in the summer of 2020. The story was greatly changed as a result, with Wakanda Forever being a meditation on grief that showed Letitia Wright’s Shuri take on the mantle of the Panther. Some original concept art that made its way to Instagram revealed the original plan to change this character for the movie, check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? While Shuri was seemingly always destined to team-up with Riri Williams aka Ironheart in Black Panther 2, her gear would have been quite different. After all, there would have been no reason for her to become a Panther if Chadwick Boseman’s character T’Challa returned to lead the cast of the sequel. Let’s break down what we’re being shown here.

The above image comes to us from the Instagram of concept designer Phil Saunders. He’s worked on various major blockbusters for Marvel and beyond including Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and The King’s Man. He used his talents to help develop the visual language for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and started doing that work long before shooting would begin. What’s more, Saunders was even working on the Ironheart armor and concepts like that ahead of Chadwick Boseman passing away from colon cancer.

While Ironheart looks fairly similar to her appearance in Black Panther 2, Shuri is rocking a much different look. It looks like she could have gotten her own Vibranium wings in the movie, while retaining her signature gauntlets as her primary weapon. But this never actually came to fruition, although there were major upgrades for other characters like Danai Gurira’s Okoye.

Rather than the wings shown above, Shuri debuted new tech with the Midnight Angel armor, which was eventually used by both Okoye and Michaela Coel’s Aneka. In addition to flight, they were also given superhuman strength and durability. And it should be fascinating to see how the Angels factor into future installments of the MCU. As for the Dora Milaje, they’ve got new leadership in the form of Florence Kasumba’s Ayo. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continues to make money at the box office, and recently earned two Golden Globe nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett and Best Song for Rihanna’s “Raise Me Up”. The MCU will return to theaters with Ant-Man 3 on February 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. 

Spoilers ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is nearly over, wrapping up with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Throughout this phase Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was the most hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies, resulting in wild box office success once it was released. The movie was in jeopardy for a while there due to the death of Chawick Boseman, as well as the injury and semi-cancellation of Shuri actress Letitia Wright. And Wright recently talked about that backlash, 2 years after sharing vaccine stance while filming Black Panther 2.

Marvel’s Letitia Wright landed herself in hot water in December of 2020, while in the midst of filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She shared a controversial video on twitter, where a self-proclaimed prophet expressed anti-vax and homophobic rhetoric. The 29 year-old actress ended up apologizing and deleting her Twitter, before returning to the set to finish filming Ryan Coogler’s sequel. Wright recently broke her silence about the controversy during an interview with The Guardian, saying:

This sentiment is no doubt going to be a relief for Marvel fans who might be having conflicting feelings about Letitia Wright since the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While she gave an outstanding and emotional performance in the long-awaited sequel, there were some who still had questions about the actress’ character IRL. 

Letitia Wright’s comments to The Guardian is seemingly the only time that her vaccine-related controversy has been addressed while doing press for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ryan Coogler’s sequel transformed Shuri from a supporting player to the movie’s protagonist, as Wright’s character grieved her late brother and eventually became the next Panther. Shuri seemed like the most obvious choice from the beginning, so the actress’ controversies got a ton of attention at the time.

While in conversation with The Guardian about Black Panther 2, journalist Simon Hattenstone asked a follow up to Letitia Wright. Namely is the anti-vax and homophobic views that were shared in the now-deleted YouTube clip misrepresented her values. She confirmed that what the apology was about, responding with:

This is where the journalist reportedly pressed one more, asking if Letitia Wright has since been vaccinated for Covid-19. Health protocols on movie sets have intensified since production resumed on TV and movie projects. She said:

Letitia Wright sidestepped this inquiry about her private medical information, but this honest conversation with The Guardian might provide some much-needed closure for fans who were having mixed feelings about the actress and her role in Black Panther 2. It does seem like the franchise will very much focus on Shuri now, so smart money says Wright is here to stay. Although more questions about this controversy might end up following future projects. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now, and continuing to make great money at the box office. The MCU will return to theaters in Phase Five with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania on February 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your movie trips in the New Year. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe recently expanded with the release of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The acclaimed blockbuster was one of the host hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies ahead of its release, and has been making a ton of money at the box office over the last few weeks. The sequel is a meditation on grief, with a touching real-world connection due to the passing of Chadwick Boseman. And Marvel’s Letitia Wright has opened up about the emotional exchange she had with a Black Panther co-star after learning of Boseman’s death.

Chadwick Boseman passed away in the summer of 2020, after a private battle with colon cancer. This shocked the fans and his colleagues alike, the latter of which have been open about the grieving process that accompanied the process of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Letitia Wright plays Shuri in the franchise, and recently opened up to The Guardian about exactly how she initially learned of Boseman’s death. In her words,

This feeling of confusion can no doubt be echoed by countless colleagues and fans of Chadwick Boseman, who were unaware of his health issues. While Letitia Wright had a close relationship to her on-screen brother, she was blindsided when folks started sending their condolences related to his death. It’s a sobering account of that very real feeling when tragedy strikes, and one can’t wrap their head around it.

Later in that same interview Letitia Wright revealed one Black Panther actor who was there for her in her pain and confusion. Namely Daniel Kaluuya, who was unfortunately absent throughout the movie’s sequel. As she shared: 

What an emotional story. Letitia Wright’s honest recollection of the time following Chadwick Boseman’s death shows just how close the cast and crew of Black Panther truly got while bringing Wakanda to life. And these emotions seemingly translated into the powerhouse performances given by Wright and Angela Bassett in the acclaimed sequel. 

Ahead of Black Panther 2’s release, Ryan Coogler and the cast had been open about how emotional it was to bring the Marvel sequel to life. Chadwick Boseman’s absence was described as a gaping hole, and it was touching to see how he was honored throughout Wakanda Forever’s runtime, including the movie’s ending, as well as the emotional mid-credits scene. Letitia Wright further explained how close the cast/crew of her Marvel franchise are, saying:

Grief is a tricky beast, and it’s super brave and generous for Letitia Wright to offer such an intimate peek into the way she’s been mourning Chadwick Boseman. And it sounds like in addition to finding a way to move on professionally and personally, the loss has changed the way she looks at her relationships to other co-stars like Okoye actress Dani Gurira. 

The contents of Black Panther 2 inspired plenty of new questions, including who is ruling Wakanda. And while it remains to be seen how plot likes like Namor and Prince T’Challa play out, that corner of the MCU has gotten even more intriguing. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now, and making a ton of money at the box office. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience– just don’t expect any more Marvel movies until Phase Five. 

Black Panther was one of the most successful movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Domestically, the movie outperformed even Avengers: Infinity War at the box office, so it was essentially a forgone conclusion that we would get a Black Panther 2. At the D23 Expo in 2019, Marvel Studios confirmed the Black Panther sequel was coming, but then everything changed following the death of Chadwick Boseman.

With the loss of the first Black Panther movie's star, nobody knew quite what to expect from the sequel. Would we see T’Challa recast? If so, who could possibly take the role? And that assumed, of course, that the movie wasn’t cancelled entirely. Here’s a look at the complete story of during the lead up to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and what finally happened to T’Challa and Boseman on screen. 

At First, It Wasn’t Clear We Would Even Get a Black Panther 2 Without Chadwick Boseman 

Work on the sequel was in its very early stages when Chadwick Boseman passed away, so it was very possible that the response to Boseman’s death would be that the movie would be scrapped entirely. Just a few weeks after the tragedy, co-star Letitia Wright was asked about making Black Panther 2 without the star, and she admitted she had a hard time imagining the movie even happening, saying:

This was a sentiment held by a lot of people. Most of the comments from producers and the powers-that-be at Marvel early on very much took a 'wait and see' approach. There was plenty of time, as Black Panther 2 was still planned to be two years away.

One Decision About Black Panther 2 Was Made Early On 

However, even before there was confirmation that Black Panther 2 was moving forward, there was confirmation of one thing concerning the role of T’Challa: Marvel Studios would not use CGI to recreate Chadwick Boseman's likeness.

We’ve seen lots of favorite movie characters return to popular franchises, and appear at the correct age, thanks to the use of CGI technology, either by de-aging an actor or digitally recreating a face over another actor. While the tech certainly isn’t perfect, it’s improved a lot over the years, so the idea that a CGI T’Challa could appear, even in a limited capacity, had to  be entertained as a possibility. However, Black Panther producer Victoria Alonso made it clear in November 2020 that would not be happening:

It’s clear from this comment that a lot of decisions still haven’t been made. The people in charge at Marvel know they want to honor Chadwick Boseman the right way, and while they’re not entirely sure what that is, they do know what it is not. At this point, recasting the role is technically still on the table, but CGI is not.  

Kevin Feige Responds To The Idea Of Recasting Chadwick Boseman 

In the MCU, the buck stops with producer Kevin Feige, so when he spoke about the future of Black Panther 2 in early 2021, people listened. Feige reiterated that CGI would not be used, but also took things a step further by confirming that Black Panther 2 was moving forward, with writer/director Ryan Coogler working on a story that would not include T’Challa as a character because he would not be recast. Feige explained:

So from here we had a path forward. Feige even hinted at the general idea of what the eventually-titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would be about, as it was apparently always going to focus on Wakanda as a place much more than T’Challa as a character. Now this would be done out of necessity.

Not Everybody Was Against Recasting T’Challa 

While it seemed that the decision had been made and Black Panther 2 had a plan to go forward, it has to be said that not everybody was on board with this plan. A fan petition was started asking Marvel to recast T’Challa. Even Boseman’s own family, such as his brother Derrick, believed that recasting the role was the right call. He went so far as to say that he believed Chadwick Boseman would be in favor of recasting himself.    

The general consensus among the people with this view was that the role of Black Panther is important and ultimately bigger than Chadwick Boseman. The feeling was that Black Panther needed to exist in the MCU because of what the character meant to people; who played him was far less important.

Kevin Feige Explains Why Recasting Black Panther Was Not Considered 

So Black Panther 2 went into pre-production and was eventually titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. We understood what the plan was; that something would happen to T’Challa to take him out of the story and things would go forward from there. What we didn’t know yet was why this decision was ultimately made. Kevin Feige would explain things in September 2022 that because the world was clearly hit hard by the death of Chadwick Boseman, it only made sense for the movie to do the same. Feige said:

So perhaps if Black Panther 2 had been delayed and come out years later, it would have made more sense to recast T’Challa, but since the man was still being mourned, it felt like the movie needed to deal with the same things that the fans were going through. 

Black Panther Co-Star Winston Duke Agrees With The Decision To Not Recast T’Challa 

For the most part, everybody involved in the production of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever seems to feel the same way as Kevin Feige. Winston Duke, who plays M’Baku in the franchise, recently said that Chadwick Boseman stood for many of the same things as the Black Panther, so it was just too hard to see anybody else play the role. 

It all certainly makes sense from that perspective. If Chadwick Boseman was the right man to play Black Panther because the reality mirrored the fantasy, it only fitting for the sequel to do the same thing, including with his loss. 

How Chadwick Boseman, And T’Challa, Appear In Wakanda Forever 

Leading into the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the big question wasn’t what would happen to Black Panther as a mantle, the trailers showed us there would be a new person taking on the identity . The question was how would the movie handle the fact that the previous Black Panther was gone.

Wakanda Forever opens with a sequence that shows Letitia Wright’s Shuri in her lab, as she’s trying to synthesize the heart-shaped herb that was destroyed in the previous film. T’Challa isn’t mentioned by name, but it’s clear that this is an attempt to save somebody’s life. In the end, she’s unable to even try to save him, as T’Challa has died from an unnamed disease. The exact cause of his death is never specified.

From there, the movie cuts to the traditional Marvel Studios logo. Traditionally this sequence is full of scenes showing all the various characters of the MCU, but in this one, we only ever see Chadwick Boseman either as T’Challa or his actual self. The graphic package has no music at all, and it’s done in a shade of royal purple. This is followed by a funeral procession for T’Challa before the movie jumps forward a year.

We don’t see Chadwick Boseman in the movie proper until the final scene. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a story about dealing with grief, and Shuri is never able to grieve for her lost brother. In the end, she finally burns her mourning clothes, and while she sits quietly, we see what she is thinking about and images of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa play until Shuri finally cries and the movie comes to an end.

The question of how Marvel would handle the death of Chadwick Boseman has lasted for more than two years since we lost him. Going forward, there will likely be a debate as to whether or not all the decisions that were made were the right ones. There will never be a truly definitive answer, but Marvel Studios clearly set out to honor Chadwick Boseman, and in the end, they succeeded with that. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a love letter to the late Chadwick Boseman and his Black Panther. The late actor's performance as T’Challa shook the MCU when he was introduced in 2016 and quickly became a fan-favorite hero. But, following Boseman’s 2020 death, we’ve all been curious about how Wakanda would go on without him. Wakanda Forever mourns and continues the hero’s legacy, including with the unique and emotional Black Panther: Wakanda Forever end-credits sequence. 

The new Marvel movie, which marks the final entry into Phase 4, begins with the heart wrenching funeral of T’Challa and concludes with Letitia Wright’s Shuri taking the Black Panther mantle and protecting the Wakandan people and world from the threat of a new villain in Tenoch Huerta’s Namor. After the eventful Black Panther 2 ending, we need to talk about the end-credits scene. I particularly loved how different it was from the typical scenes we see once the credits begin to roll in MCU movies. 

What Happens In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s End Credit Scene

Wakanda Forever itself ends with Shuri venturing to Haiti to see Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia. Upon getting there, Shuri decides to take some time to go to her local beach and follow the advice her mother, Angela Bassett’s Ramonda, had tried to get her to do on the year anniversary of T'Challa's death, earlier in the film. Shuri seemingly burns the white dress we saw her wear early in 2018’s Black Panther in a bonfire and sits there for a moment and remembers him. Footage of Chadwick Boseman’s time as Black Panther flashes on the screen as Shuri thinks of her brother, and perhaps finally finds comfort when coping with T’Challa’s death rather than the initial anger that nearly led her to vengeance. 

The Black Panther sequel ends with a smile for Shuri, but there's a scene that follows the credits that directly continues where the ending leaves off. After Rihanna's "Lift Me Up" begins the credits, the scene then begins. Nakia joins Shuri with a young boy we’ve yet to be introduced to. Our hearts all drop as Nakia introduces the boy to Shuri, calling her his aunt. We realize who the boy is: the son of Boseman’s Black Panther. 

Nakia then shares that her son is the very reason why she decided not to attend the funeral at the beginning of Wakanda Forever. It was T’Challa’s wish that he not be overwhelmed by venturing to Wakanda as the unknown heir to the country's throne. So, the mother and son held their own funeral for him at the time in Haiti. Nakia also reveals to Shuri that Ramonda knew about her grandson and met him before her death. As Shuri smiles in the presence of her nephew, he reveals that his Wakandan name is T’Challa. 

Why This End Credit Scene Feels Different For Marvel

The end credits scene described is the only additional moment after Wakanda Forever, except for word that Black Panther will return. Many of us probably expected some new character reveal, team-up moment or tease for what’s next for the MCU. However, audiences who wait beyond the ending are instead rewarded with this nod to how Black Panther's memory will live on. It’s a deeply emotional scene that offers hope to audiences processing the many losses within the movie, especially regarding Chadwick Boseman’s tragic death at the age of 43. 

It’s a different move for Marvel because the typical end credits scene plays to one of either two emotional beats. Either to make the audience chuckle before they exit the theater or get them really excited for the future of Marvel. But, Wakanda Forever’s end credit scene prolongs the feeling of the movie further and allows us to sit with its themes for a few minutes longer in a beautiful way. It takes a tender and satisfying approach to its storytelling. 

Why Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Is My Favorite Use Of A Marvel End Credit Scene Yet

It’s clear to me why Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the first Marvel movie to go this route with an end credits scene. The MCU suffered a real loss and this was the right way to end a love letter rather than move right onto other MCU business. I really loved this different direction and I find it to be the best use of the end credit slot yet. While I totally look forward to what is going to be teased during end credit sequences and have loved seeing those big moments play out in theaters, I really appreciated the quiet approach here with an underline of the focus on the core story of the film with this scene. 

This end credits scene feels like a bonus piece of information regarding Wakanda Forever that enriches the story but isn’t this game-changing piece of information that takes away from the experience of the movie itself. Sometimes, I feel as though the reveals that cap off Marvel movies leave audiences with these big questions and teases that feel like commercials and don’t allow the viewers to engage enough with the messages of the movie we bought a ticket for. Wakanda Forever found a graceful solution with this memorable scene, that I hope they'll do again when future movies have something particularly important to say. In this case, the end credits scene reminds us that even though a person may be physically gone, "death is not the end, it's more of a stepping off point," just as Boseman's T'Challa said in Civil War. 

Does Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s End Credit Scene Set Up The Future?

Given how Marvel end credit scenes typically do set up something, many are likely to wonder if the reveal of T’Challa’s son will play into the MCU. Given T’Challa and Nakia’s son is introduced in a private moment between Nakia and Shuri, I don’t imagine this reveal is meant to tease anything in particular. In the comics, there is a storyline regarding T’Challa and Storm having a child named Azari, but Nakia is not the mutant character, so we wouldn’t expect this to be an adaptation of that. Perhaps, further down the line, this opens the door for T’Challa to take part in the continued storyline of Wakanda, but I don’t see this immediately affecting the MCU. It's serving the story of Wakanda Forever first rather than the larger universe and I'd like to see more small moments like this amidst the vastness of the MCU. 

You can check out CinemaBlend’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review along with what other critics are saying about the Marvel movie. The next MCU installment to look forward to is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, in theaters on February 17. Long live the Black Panther and T’Challa’s legacy! 

After 2018’s Black Panther was such a massive box office success, Ryan Coogler already had a big job ahead of him to continue the story of Wakanda and its king. Chadwick Boseman’s shocking death from colon cancer in 2020, however, made that task absolutely herculean. To say anticipation has been high to see how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continues without T’Challa would be an understatement, but with the release date finally upon us, the reviews are in to give fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies a taste of what to expect.

The final movie in the MCU’s Phase 4 will see the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect their nation in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. The sequel stars Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Tenoch Huerta as Namor, Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Martin Freeman as Agent Everett K. Ross, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia. First reactions to the new MCU blockbuster were promising, so let’s see what critics are saying about the film and how it honors Chadwick Boseman, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 4.5 stars out of 5, calling it an “utterly beautiful” expression of mourning that is equal to its predecessor: 

In his spoiler-free video review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, CinemaBlend managing editor Sean O’Connell says Ryan Coogler tackles a lot of plot, but does a good job of juggling it all. He rates it 4 out of 5 stars, explaining why he calls it a “cathartic” drama: 

Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge also uses the word “cathartic” to describe the film, saying that while it is “a moving farewell to Chadwick Boseman,” it doesn’t dwell in the past, continuing Wakanda’s story with grace and care that’s uncharacteristic of comic book movies. The critic says: 

In absence of King T’Challa, Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly says she was struck by the powerful queendom that rules Wakanda from the top down and notes that Ryan Coogler also has talented women working behind the scenes. The critic grades the Black Panther sequel a B+: 

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY rates it 3.5 out of 4 stars for the way the movie is able to celebrate and honor Chadwick Boseman while still proving that Wakanda and its story are in capable hands going forward. More from the review: 

It sounds like the critics agree that this Marvel sequel strikes a good balance between paying homage to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa while also providing a compelling story. You can catch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in theaters beginning Friday, November 11. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s interviews with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's filmmakers and stars, including Ryan Coogler, Danai Gurira and more, and see what upcoming Marvel movies lie ahead in Phases 5 and 6.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is not the film that it was intended to be when development first began on the sequel back in in 2018. Sure, writer/director Ryan Coogler knew that he wanted to introduce Namor The Submariner as the titular hero’s foil in the story he was crafting, but said hero was supposed to be Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa – the newly crowned King of Wakanda in the midst of his rule following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Sadly, the tragic death of Boseman in 2020 meant this vision couldn’t be realized, and Coogler was put in what could have been viewed as an impossible position: not only needing to re-envision what the movie would be, but work with the immense pressure to honor the memory of the beloved star. That’s not a fair situation for anyone to be thrust into, especially when emotions are still raw after a terrible loss – but that just speaks the phenomenal talent and passion of everyone involved to make the film what it is.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is not your typical Marvel blockbuster, featuring an appropriate somber atmosphere and politics-driven plotting – which isn’t to say it’s humorless. It has its fun, but mostly it’s a challenging and powerful cinematic expression of mourning that is utterly beautiful in its design and features an ensemble cast that brilliantly steps up as a collective.

After shattering opening sequences that see Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) desperately trying to save T’Challa’s life and the nation of Wakanda holding a funeral for their king, the film jumps ahead one year as Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) navigates the tricky politics that have arisen from her country being unveiled to the world. Trust still hasn’t been earned by foreign nations to share in Wakanda’s private stockpile of Vibranium, leaving Ramonda to make the decision to keep the precious metal at arm’s length. Instead of making the effort to be better international partners, the United States starts looking for it elsewhere.

Thanks to the invention of a device that can locate Vibranium, this U.S.-led mission is actually successful. A deposit is discovered in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and a drilling team is sent down to mine it… but this decision quickly leads to horror. Blue-skinned humanoids emerge from the water and kill everybody involved with the operation, and with nobody left alive to say what happened, fingers are pointed at the Wakandans.

Shortly thereafter, Ramonda and Shuri learn the truth. They are approached by King Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and told about Talocan, a Vibranium-rich nation that has secretly and peacefully existed for centuries beneath the ocean. Fearing his world’s exposure, Namor offers a threat to the Wakandan royals, demanding that they kidnap and kill the American scientist who created the Vibranium detector – a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) – or risk being destroyed by Talocan’s immense and unstoppable army.

Ryan Coogler crafts a heartbreaking and complex story to tell in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The plotting in the first Black Panther is as remarkable as anything we’ve seen from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger raising complex questions about Wakanda’s place on the global stage given the inequalities faced by Black people around the world – and it’s the sequel’s ability to reach that high bar with its own story that makes it tremendously satisfying. Between its ensemble of protagonists, the complicated tone, and the introduction of a whole new fantastical domain, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever juggles a great number of things in its nearly three-hour runtime, but it doesn’t drop a single ball.

As a goodbye to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa, it’s a special achievement. The movie makes the smart decision not to turn the Black Panther’s death into a plot line about succession or political destabilization, which easily could have felt exploitative. Instead, the hard emotions from the loss are primarily expressed through the arcs of the principal characters, and the individual journeys are extraordinary – with Queen Ramonda desperate to protect what remains of her family; Shuri looking to define her identity after being unable to save her brother; Okoye (Danai Gurira) trying to reaffirm her role as the protector of the royal family; and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) distancing herself from Wakanda after the death of the man she loves. Every choice feels organic, and is all the more affecting because of it.

All of those character threads mesh brilliantly with the introduction of Namor and the world of Talocan – which is an amazing narrative thread that once again allows Ryan Coogler to express fascinating commentary about the horrors of colonization and ask big, philosophical questions. Like Killmonger, Namor is an antagonist who expresses violent inclinations (specifically his desire to see Riri Williams abducted and assassinated), but he also possesses a rational and understandable perspective that is informed by personal trauma. This is a blockbuster with a budget probably in the $200 million range that engages with the ethics and morality of pre-emptive strikes – attacking your enemy before they have the opportunity to attack you – and it succeeds at being as meditative and thought-provoking as it is thrilling.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever inspires phenomenal work from the entire cast.

Just as the moment inspires Ryan Coogler to do some of his best work, the ensemble cast in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does a spectacular job further pulling us into this world and making every powerful emotion palpable. It’s actually difficult to identify any “main” protagonist in the film both because the arcs of Shuri, Ramonda, Okoye and Nakia are all so individually impressive and the respective actors have such phenomenal screen presence. Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o all have their own moments that put you in the back of your seat in expressive awe – though Bassett and Gurira both deserve special recognition for their work together in a high-tension confrontation in the Wakandan throne room that takes up special residence in one’s mind when reflecting on the movie (I won’t say more due to spoilers, but you’ll know it as you watch it).

And then there’s Tenoch Huerta. This is the actor’s first blockbuster role, he’s playing a beloved Marvel hero/antihero who has never been depicted before on-screen, and it’s a movie that has incalculable hype – and yet the pressure of all that seems to have the same effect that deep-sea pressure has on Namor: none. The character has a fascinating way of vacillating between being charming and threatening, and either way Huerta ensures that you can’t keep your eyes off of him. Furthermore, not every star can pull off zooming around a screen with Hermes-esque winged feet, but the newcomer pulls it off with badass grace.

Both Wakanda and Talocan are stunning cinematic visions brought to life by incredible filmmakers.

Not to be satisfied with just being thematically rich, telling a compelling story, and showcasing some of the most impassioned performances of year, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also just so happens to be breathtaking in its beauty. The previous chapter in this series rightfully won Oscars for costume design, production design, and the original score, and that success evidently only drove Ruth E. Carter, Hannah Beachler, and Ludwig Göransson to respectively raise their personal bars for the sequel.

It’s a spellbinding return to Wakanda, which again comes across as utterly vibrant and real, but the introduction of Talocan additionally challenges your body’s preconceived limitations when it comes to widening your eyes as you try and take it all in. The movie does make it a challenge to grasp the full scale of its settings, and there is a remaining desire to see even more of Wakanda than the film ultimately provides, but the sights and sounds are nonetheless unique, special, and magnificent.

Given circumstances behind the scenes, it would have been understandable if Black Panther: Wakanda Forever couldn’t quite live up to the magic of its game-changing predecessor, but instead it is its equal. It’s poignant, captivating, and awesome, and a special achievement by every measure.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is likely one of the most anticipated of the upcoming Marvel movies, particularly after the success of the 2018 blockbuster. The Oscar-winning superhero movie is considered among the best Marvel movies, but as development of the sequel began, plans had to change when star Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer in 2020. The decision was made not to recast T’Challa, and the final movie in the MCU’s Phase 4 will see the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect their nation in the wake of the king’s death. The movie has screened ahead of its November 11 release, so let’s see what people are saying about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Ryan Coogler returns as the writer and director of this MCU sequel, and a number of the first movie’s actors will reprise their roles, including Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Martin Freeman as Agent Everett K. Ross, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia. Those who were able to screen the movie have taken to social media to expand what we know about Black Panther 2, and CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell tweets that Chadwick Boseman’s loss is definitely felt in this story of legacy: 

Fico Cangiano of CineXpress also says the sequel is a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman and audiences should be sure to stay for a moving mid-credit scene: 

“Cathartic” is a word used by multiple of the film’s early viewers, including Perri Nemiroff of Collider, who also lauds the film’s ensemble. She specifically names Winston Duke and Letitia Wright, and says they couldn’t have found a better actor than Tenoch Huerta to suit up as Namor: 

Film critic Josie Marie says Tenoch Huerta exceeded her expectations, and moviegoers should be sure to bring their tissues for this one: 

Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com is definitely on the Tenoch Huerta bandwagon as well, saying he kills it as one of the MCU’s best villains: 

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo also mentions the mid-credits scene, calling it the best in Marvel’s history. The movie overall is ambitious and rewarding, and he says Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is as epic as sequels get: 

Agreeing with the above assessments, Emily Murray of BBC Radio 5 simply says Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is something to be treasured: 

The movie also gets high praise from critic Orlando Enelcine, who notes that Black Panther remains the crown jewel of the MCU, and the actors give some of the best performances he's seen all year:

It sounds like fans will get a good dose of emotion to go with their action in the Black Panther sequel. We’ll know even more when critics’ reviews come out on November 8, so be sure to check back to CinemaBlend for more then. In the meantime, take a deep dive into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and see how to watch all of the Marvel movies in order. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to hit theaters on Friday, November 11, and see what else is coming to theaters soon with our 2022 Movie Release Schedule. 

The newest trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is here, and while it still leaves many details behind the curtain, it does officially confirm a couple of important things. The sequel will introduce a new Black Panther, as we see somebody wearing the familiar armor, from head to toe, and that new Black Panther is a woman.

We never see behind the mask, so we don’t know who this new Black Panther is, but the fact that it will be a woman would seem to strongly indicate that the new Black Panther is going to turn out to be exactly who many people thought it would be. But if that’s the case, why bother keeping it a secret? Unless, of course, this whole thing is a misdirect and it’s going to turn out that the new Black Panther actually isn’t who we think it will be at all.

The New Black Panther is Shuri, Right? 

Following the death of Chadwick Boseman, nobody was quite sure what that meant for the future of the Black Panther franchise. It was made clear fairly early that Marvel had no plans to recast the role of T’Challa, but that left the fate of Black Panther as a superhero mantle up in the air. Would somebody new wear the Black Panther suit and become a new version of the character, or would Black Panther be retired entirely?  It wasn’t until the final seconds of the first Wakanda Forever teaser trailer that it was confirmed for certain that there would actually be a new Black Panther in the new Black Panther movie.

A lot of people suggested very early on that if there was to be a new Black Panther at all, Letitia Wright’s Shuri would be a strong choice for taking on the role. She’s the sister of T’Challa, so in Wakanda’s society, where T’Challa became king following the death of his father, it would make sense that another member of the family would take over. Shuri proved herself to be intelligent and capable in the first film, and this would also give the Marvel Cinematic Universe another female hero, something it seriously needs. Letitia Wright has avoided answering the question when it’s been proposed to her.

There really isn’t a stronger argument at this point. I think there's been a pretty large assumption that this is where the Black Panther sequel is going. The marketing of the movie has put Letitia Wright front and center, and even some of the early Wakanda Forever merchandise has seemed to indicate that yes, Shuri, is the new Black Panther. So if that’s so obviously the case, why is it being kept under wraps? If it just turns out to be who we already know it’s going to be, then does the attempt at surprising us even work?

Why Marvel Might Be Keeping The New Black Panther A Secret, Even If Its Shuri 

Part of this, almost certainly, is just the normal workings of tentpole movie marketing. Generally speaking, leaving mysteries is good for business. It gets people talking on social media, and that’s a big deal in the marketing process. Even if everybody is talking about the same thing, because we’re all pretty sure we know the answer, the fact that the conversations are happening is the goal. In the end, even if you know the answer, if you want to see it, you need to buy that movie ticket. The fact that tickets went on sale for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever alongside this image of a female Black Panther is certainly no coincidence.

There is another, less favorable reason why the identity of the new Black Panther may be getting hidden despite the fact that everybody has possibly guessed it. A lot of people will be less than thrilled if they’re right. 

Letitia Wright made headlines before and during the production of Black Panther 2 when she shared a video voicing anti-vaccine views during the heart of the COVID pandemic. A lot of people were critical of this and it led to Wright deleting all her social media. The calls to see Shuri become the new Black Panther shifted after that and fewer people seemed excited by the idea. If it does turn out to be Shuri behind the mask, not all fans will be happy to see it.

At the end of the day, keeping the not-so-secret thing secret potentially helps the movie overall. If it were confirmed in the trailer that Shuri was the new Black Panther, it would likely rekindle the feelings from those who are unhappy with her stance on the vaccination topic. That’s not the sort of attention Marvel Studios likely wants ahead of Wakanda Forever’s release.

There’s Another Reason That The New Black Panther Could Be Remaining Hidden 

Of course, there is another possibility that is quite intriguing regarding why we don’t know who is wearing the new Black Panther mask. It could be that everything we're seeing that is indicating Shuri as the new Black Panther is a misdirection, and the identity is remaining hidden because it’s actually somebody else.

There are some candidates for who could be wearing the suit. Letitia Nyong’o’s Nakia is probably the most likely possibility since it’s almost certainly somebody with a connection to Wakanda. It could even turn out to be Riri Williams, who we saw for the first time in the new trailer. Though the fact that we also got a look at her Ironheart armor would seem to indicate she has her own suit to wear throughout the film. 

Nevertheless, nearly all signs still point to Letitia Wright’s Shuri becoming the new Black Panther. We’ll almost certainly have to wait until November 11 to know with certainty what happens. If it is in fact her, Shuri’s ascendance to Black Panther can still be a powerful moment if it's handled well, even if most everybody sees it coming. But perhaps Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will find a way to surprise us. If the point of all this is to truly surprise the audience, then the best way to do that is to lean in to the general perceptions publicly while going a different direction.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an absolutely behemoth place, but certain franchises stand out as fan favorites. Case in point: Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, with the upcoming sequel serving as one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies. Start your weekend right with Wakanda Forever’s leading ladies grooving to “Drop it Like it’s Hot.”

Ryan Coogler assembled an outstanding cast for the Black Panther franchise, and fans are eager to catch up with the iconic characters in Wakanda Forever. That includes the franchise’s leading trio of women: Letitia Wright’s Shuri, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, and Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia. Those actors have great chemistry, as you can see in a video from Nyongo’o’s Instagram of them dancing to Snoop Dogg’s classic “Drop it Like It’s Hot.” Check it out for yourself below,

I mean, how fun is that? You can clearly tell how much the women of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever like each other… as well as Snoop Dogg’s iconic tracks. And since this is merely a clip of this trio doing a photoshoot, one can only imagine how their chemistry will translate into the Marvel sequel. Especially when you consider the high emotional stakes involved.

This clip shared by Lupita Nyong’o will likely only help to buoy excitement over Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as it gets ever closer to being released in theaters. We’re about a month and a half from seeing what Ryan Coogler has up his sleeve, and how the titular nation will continue following the in-universe death of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. Of course, both the cast/crew and fans in theaters will also be mourning the loss of Boseman IRL, following his passing in August of 2020.

Not much is known about the contents of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is pretty standard for Marvel movies and their notoriously tight security. But given Boseman’s death and legacy, the real world has arguably never been more connected to the events of the real world. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler went so far as to call crafting the sequel the most difficult task of his professional career, given the emotions involved. And the special care he took with this story can be seen in the movie’s first trailer, which was a massive hit upon its release. As a reminder, you can check it out below,

Obviously the biggest question surrounding Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been exactly will be taking on the mantle of the Panther and becoming the next ruler of the fictional country. Some merchandise for the movie might have revealed this plot point, but it’s all unconfirmed until it finally arrives in theaters. There’s also some new characters being introduced to the MCU, including Namor the Sub-Mariner and Riri Williams aka Ironheart (who is getting her own series on Disney+).

Luckily for Marvel fans the wait for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nearly over, as it’s hitting theaters on November 11th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will soon be making their return to Wakanda, as the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be with us in less than two months. Of course, things are changing in this corner of the MCU due to the passing of T’Challa actor Chadwick Boseman. In the aftermath though, it looks like another character will take on the mantle of the titular hero. A number of fans assume that Letitia Wright’s Shuri will be the one to do it, and the actress has provided some thoughts on that proposed development. 

Details on Wakanda Forever have been kept close to the vest for some time now and, even after the trailer for the Black Panther sequel dropped at SDCC in July, we were left with more questions. Of course, the biggest is who was wearing that panther suit at the tail end of the sweet trailer. When asked about Shuri possibly being the one to don the suit, Letitia Wright remained guarded. Though she provided an interesting behind-the-scenes fact from the 2018 film that may get fans’ brains churning:

So while the 28-year-old actress’ recent interview with Empire Magazine didn’t reveal anything in regard to who’ll become T’Challa’s superhero successor, there are two things to be gleaned from it. The first is that she, Ryan Cooger and Chadwick Boseman, at the very least, touched on the fact that in the comics, Shuri does take on the mantle. The second interesting point here is that the Small Axe alum does seem interested in the concept. Still, the tech savvy princess is just one of several capable candidates.

Some have also thrown Winston Duke’s M’Baku, the charismatic leader of the Jabari Tribe, into the mix. Others would say that Wakandan War Dog Nakia, played by Lupita Nyong’o, would be a fit for the moniker as well. While speculation is still running rampant, a piece of Wakanda Forever merchandise may have revealed the identity of the new panther. Despite any alleged leaks though, don’t expect anyone from Marvel Studios to confirm or deny anything. 

Regardless of whether she fills her brother’s shoes in Ryan Coogler’s sequel though, Letitia Wright’s character will have a lot of other things going on. The actress previously stated that Shuri will attempt to cope with T’Challa’s death by throwing herself into her work. Of course, there’s also the arrival of Tenoch Huerta’s Namor and the debut of Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, who becomes the hero Ironheart. 

There’s definitely a lot to be excited about when it comes to the sequel, though I’m sure the identity of the new Black Panther will continue to be the big thing on most people’s minds. Though there’s still a lot of uncertainty, what can be said is that Ryan Coogler, Marvel’s Kevin Feige and co. likely put a lot of thought into choosing who’d succeed Chadwick Boseman, whose work Letitia Wright is aiming to honor.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11 and is one of many upcoming Marvel movies on the docket. If you need a refresher before its release, stream the first film using a Disney+ subscription.

Possible spoilers ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Phase Four of the MCU has greatly expanded its scope, thanks to both TV projects and movie installments. But one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is the next movie hitting theaters. Although some Black Panther 2 merchandise may have revealed the new Panther.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is exactly who will take on the mantle of the titular hero and rule Wakanda. The first (massively popular) trailer ended with someone suited up, but their identity was left ambiguous. But a possible leak of LEGO set for the movie has hit Instagram, seemingly revealing that big question in the process. A Black Panther is included, and the second image seemingly confirms that Letitia Wright’s Shuri is under the helmet this time around. Check it out below,

While this LEGO set for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hasn’t officially been announced or released yet, this image looks pretty legit. And if this possible leak is to be believed, then we might finally know who is going to be the MCU’s next Black Panther. Luckily the movie is only a few months away, so our answers seem imminent regardless.

This possible Black Panther: Wakanda Forever leak might not totally shock hardcore Marvel fans out there. After all, Shuri seemed like the most obvious choice to take on the mantle of the Panther, which has happened in the comics before. But there were a few other choices in the form of Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and M’Baku (Winston Duke). If this LEGO leak is to be believed, the latter character will become a minifigure for the first time, after appearing in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

The LEGO set number in question is number 76214 and is titled Black Panther: War on the Water. While a few smaller sets for Wakanda Forever were previously revealed, this seems to be the most plot-driven, and therefore might be getting a later release. If it is to be believed, Shuri and our other heroes (including Riri Williams aka Ironheart, whose appearance might have also leaked via merch) will come to blows with Namor the Sub-Mariner on the water. And it looks like audiences might be treated to a cool Wakandan boat in the process. As a reminder, you can check out the movie’s first trailer below,

The limited footage of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has certainly teased just how emotional the upcoming Marvel blockbuster is expected to be. The cast has been open about the emotional experience of filming without Chadwick Boseman, with Ryan Coogler calling writing the movie the most difficult task of his professional life. And with audiences also mourning the late actor, the stakes have never been higher.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters on November 11th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

In between Letitia Wright’s work in numerous Marvel movies, the actress took on the true but tragic story of the Gibbons twins, known best as the 2022 movie release’s title: The Silent Twins. The film illustrates the life of the actual British identical twins who vowed to only communicate to each other and no one else, leading to a life down a path of destruction and isolation. Wright spoke to CinemaBlend about her preparation for the role. 

In our interview with Leititia Wright, the actress spoke to the different pressures of playing an actual living person in contrast to starring in blockbuster Marvel films. It was important to her to be sensitive and bring justice to June Gibbons early life. One piece of this was reading June’s long lost book The Pepsi-Cola Addict, to which there are only reportedly a few copies left in the world. In Wright’s words: 

Marjorie Wallace is the author of 1986 The Silent Twins book, which the movie is based upon. Although The Pepsi-Cola Addict, which is an important part within the film and quoted, is no longer in print, Letitia Wright was able to get her hands on a copy of the book to prepare to play June Gibbons. Wright also shared her hopes for the novel to become more widely available to readers. 

The book itself is a work of fiction that was self published by June Gibbons in 1982. It’s about a character named Preston who is literally addicted to Pepsi, to the point where his thoughts and fantasies begin to cling to the carbonated drink. Preston gets dumped over the habit and robs a convenience store due to his mesmerization of Pepsi. 

Letitia Wright plays June to Tamara Lawrence’s Jennifer Gibbons, who tells a unique story with The Silent Twins. The women were born in 1963 to Caribbean immigrants before going to school in Wales and dealing with a string of issues with the school system for refusing to communicate outside their own words to each other. 

As the twins came of age, they became gifted creatives in their self-imposed isolation, each of them keeping stories, poems and novels along with making and playing with dolls. Agnieszka Smoczynska’s movie brings The Silent Twins to life, often with some unique and surreal imagery to show their more cerebral life. Among this year’s many book-to-movie adaptations, The Silent Twins is certainly one of the most visionary and unique. 

Following The Silent Twins, Letitia Wright will return to as Shuri to cope with T’Challa’s death in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ahead of the movie’s release on November 11, check out the epic Wakanda Forever trailer. 

Ahead of Letitia Wright returning to her MCU role of Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the actress stars in the biographical drama The Silent Twins. In Wright’s latest role, she portrays June Gibbons, one of two British identical twins with a compelling, yet heartbreaking true story that had their story told through the Marjorie Wallace-written 1987 novel. When speaking to playing June, Wright contrasted the role with playing a Marvel hero. 

When CinemaBlend recently spoke with Letitia Wright about her role in The Silent Twins, the actress shared why there’s a different pressure when it comes to playing a living person rather than a beloved comic book character. In her words: 

The Silent Twins tells the story of the Gibbons twins from an early age, who were the daughters of Caribbean immigrants who moved their family to Wales. As the movie illustrates, Jennifer and June made a pact with one another at an early age to only communicate only with each other and remain silent to the rest of the world. As a result, they deal with various struggles, which later leads them to be sentenced to a psychiatric hospital for numerous years. 

Wright shared with the NY Post that the twins' silence was a “protest” of the “systemic racism they experienced as children” being the only Black children in their community. June Gibbons is still living, thus creating an added responsibility for Letitia Wright to tell her story in a way sensitive to her life and the struggles June and Jennifer went through in their lives. 

Wright must have accomplished her hopes for the role considering the movie beautifully directed by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Smoczynska was given a “stamp of approval” by June Gibbons, per her interview with Essence. And rather than the 2022 book-to-movie adaptation telling the story of The Silent Twins simply, it includes the twins’ artistic expression, works through puppetry, writings and music, as both were each gifted creatives within their lives of self isolation. 

As The Silent Twins hits theaters this weekend, there are just two months left until Letitia Wright returns to the MCU as Shuri in the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The movie follows the 2020 death of Chadwick Boseman, with the people of Wakanda seemingly figuring out how to move forward as T’Challa dies with him. 

Letitia Wright has shared that she and the cast have “poured everything” in Wakanda Forever, and following the trailer drop during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, we’re certainly excited to see how the storyline continues. Overall, it’s great to see 28-year-old Letitia Wright continue to challenge herself with new roles following previous roles in Black Mirror, Death On The Nile and Small Axe. The Silent Twins is playing in theaters now. 

When Black Panther was released in 2018, the world watched in awe as Chadwick Boseman saved Wakanda as the Black Panther. When the actor died in 2020, the world mourned over the loss of an icon. Now, with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever up next in Marvel’s upcoming releases, the women of the movie are opening up about what it was like to prepare for the highly-anticipated sequel without the man who was supposed to lead the franchise forward. 

Many involved with the movie have been incredibly candid about what it’s been like going through this process without Boseman as King T’Challa. The film’s director, Ryan Coogler, honored him by giving a touching speech saying he could feel the actor's presence on stage at San Diego Comic-Con. One of the film’s stars, Winston Duke, spoke about the “gaping hole” Boseman’s absence created on set. Now, in an interview with The New York Times, more of the movie’s stars, including Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright and Danai Gurira, spoke about how they each prepared for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Nyong’o has said filming was “therapeutic,” and she recently spoke again about this process, saying: 

While we only know the basics of the Black Panther sequel's plot, what we do know about Wakanda Forever is that it will honor Boseman’s legacy and explore the major other characters in Wakanda more. Letitia Wright spoke about how her character Shuri is coping with her brother T’Challa’s death. 

As for the actress herself, Wright talked to NYT about how the process of coming back was “spiritual.” She also mentioned how she connected a lot with Danai Gurira, who plays Okoye. Gurira agreed with Wright, elaborating on how grief played a role in her process with these words:

While sad, it’s been beautiful to see all the care the cast and creatives behind this movie have put into the sequel, for Chadwick Boseman and for Black Panther. Just looking at the Wakanda Forever trailer, it became clear his presence would still be felt during the movie in a massive way. This collective love for each other and Boseman has been imprinted on Wakanda Forever, and we will all get to honor the great actor, character and the entire team behind one of the most anticipated movies of 2022 starting on November 11. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massively popular franchise, which covers both TV and film projects. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is the next installment hitting the big screen. And Black Panther 2’s Letitia Wright recently revealed how her character Shuri is coping with T’Challa’s death in the movie.

The emotional stakes for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever feel high, as the movie will pay tribute to both the character T’Challa and honor the death of actor Chadwick Boseman. The cast has been teasing how emotional filming the blockbuster was, and that can certainly be seen in the first teaser. Letitia Wright is back as the fan favorite character Shuri, and recently spoke Black Girl Nerds at San Diego Comic-Con about where the Wakandan Princess’ head is at the start of Ryan Coogler’s sequel. In her words,

Is it November yet? The nation of Wakanda is known for its cutting-edge technology, powered by vibranium and Shuri’s genius. And it sounds like we’ll be getting some exciting new developments in Black Panther 2, seemingly as a direct response to the loss that Letitia Wright’s character is feeling. And with Iron Heart also expected to make her debut in the upcoming movie before her Disney+ spinoff, the sky’s the limit as far as new tech goes.

Letitia Wright’s comments at San Diego Comic-Con came shortly after the first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released to the masses. It instantly got a ton of views on YouTube, with fans re-watching and dissecting the footage in an attempt to decode the upcoming blockbuster. Despite that, the sequel’s contents are largely a mystery. As a reminder, you can check out the first trailer for Black Panther 2 below,

As you can tell from this limited footage, it looks like Wakanda is going to war in Black Panther 2. Because we can see an enemy coming from the sea in the form of Tenoch Huerta’s Namor the Sub-Mariner. There’s not much known about how Ryan Coogler is approaching this story, but fans have waited years to see that character finally join the shared universe.

Of course, the other big question surrounding Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is exactly who is suited up in the trailer’s final moments. Whoever takes on the mantle of the Panther will also presumably rule Wakanda, and there are a number of qualified candidates. The most popular being Shuri, Okoye, or M’Baku.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters on November 11th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going for more than a decade, but it has, arguably, never had a movie make the kind of impact that Black Panther did. Director Ryan Coogler's Oscar-winning superhero movie, featuring a predominantly Black cast, is considered to be one of the best Marvel movies – if not the best – meaning it was only a matter of time before Black Panther 2 would receive the greenlight.

The, arguably, most anticipated chapter of the Marvel Phase 4 movies and one of the biggest 2022 fall movies has, previously, been subject to a number of setbacks and hardships, especially with the death of star Chadwick Boseman in August 2020, but is coming out very soon. We shall discuss when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to hit theaters and everything else we know about the movie.  

The Black Panther 2 Release Date Is Set For November 2022

In August 2019, around the time its working title was still Black Panther II, Agent Everett Ross actor Martin Freeman revealed in an interview with Uproxx that the sequel would go into production in 2021. That much would prove to be true, with plans to film the movie in Georgia in June of that year going strong, but establishing an official release date was a different story.

At 2019’s D23 Expo, director Ryan Coogler announced his Black Panther sequel was intended to release in May 2022. More than a year later, Kevin Feige confirmed at Disney’s Investor Day in December 2020 that the movie’s release date had shifted by a few months to July 8. However, star Letitia Wright’s on-set injury caused a production shutdown, leading to another delay before the current release date of Friday, November 11, 2022, was confirmed in October 2021.

Ryan Coogler Wrote And Directed Black Panther 2

Ryan Coogler both co-wrote and directed Black Panther and was, thus, integral to its success, so it is encouraging that he returned to write and direct Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This was expected, given the reception to what Coogler did with the first film and how it showered Disney with ticket sales worth their weight in Vibranium.

It bodes well that Disney made sure to lock down the director for the sequel. The first film was very much Coogler's vision and his return ensures that there will be creative continuity between the two films as the director tackles his first sequel.

Black Panther 2 Promises To Continue Exploring Wakanda’s World And Characters

There is still not much that we know about the story of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, whose official synopsis says it will “continue to explore the incomparable world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.” The sequel’s first official trailer did not expand on that vague description too much further than that either, but did drop a couple interesting hints and provided a glimpse of a Wakanda without its beloved king. 

Indeed, Black Panther 2 did go forward without the first film’s lead hero, Chadwick Boseman. Ryan Coogler said that making the sequel after Boseman’s death was one of the hardest tasks of his professional career, but still found it incredibly motivating when looking back on what the actor “gave us” through his talent and “how [he] lived his life.”

There is a theory that Letitia Wright’s character, Shuri – T’Challa’s brilliant younger sister – is going to take her late brother’s place as Wakanda’s protector, just as she does in the comics. While some might agree it is best to keep the sequel’s new lead hero a secret for now, this transition seems to have a lot of potential, based on a shot in the trailer of a new person donning the Black Panther costume and actors confirmed to appear on the cast.

Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, And More Are Returning To The Black Panther 2 Cast

As you can imagine, the cast list for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not look like it used to following the loss of Chadwick Boseman, but many of our favorite supporting characters from the original Black Panther cast are set to reprise their roles. Among the returnees, we have Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, and Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda. Martin Freeman is also set to appear as Agent Everett K. Ross along with Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, her Us co-star Winston Duke as M’Baku, and Florence Kasumba as Ayo. 

One notable newcomer to the Black Panther 2 cast include Emmy winner Michaela Coel, who was revealed as Dora Milaje warrior Aneka during SDCC. Despite previous comments by the film’s costume designer suggesting the contrary, as reported by ScreenRant, Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya will not return as W’Kabi, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Jordan Peele’s hit horror movie, Nope. There is no telling at the moment if Killmonger will be revived in some way for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, despite how often Michael B. Jordan is asked about the subject.

Black Panther 2 Will Introduce Namor And Riri Williams Into The MCU

There are a couple of other newcomers to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever cast we certainly should mention. The official trailer already revealed the appearance of Tenoch Huerta as Namor, the Sub-mariner and Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams. 

Former Narcos: Mexico star Huerta’s portrayal of the aquatic anti-hero marks his long-awaited MCU debut, alongside Mexican actress Mabel Cadena as his cousin, Namora. Following her breakout role in If Beale Street Could Talk, Thorne is making her debut as Tony Stark’s teenage successor before she leads the upcoming Ironheart TV show, which is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2023.

Ryan Coogler Is Planning A Black Panther Spin-Off Series For Disney+

Probably the one thing that most excites me and, I am sure, many others about this Black Panther sequel is the chance to go deeper into the world of Wakanda. The culture is fascinatingly unique, the scientific advancements are enlightening, and the natural landscape is simply a wonder to behold. Luckily, it appears that the MCU’s exploration of the country will not stop at the big screen.

You can now add a Black Panther spin-off series to your list of upcoming Marvel TV shows to look forward to. It was announced in February 2021 that Ryan Coogler and his production company secured a five-year deal to develop programming for Disney+, including one project set in Wakanda.

The success of this franchise, the scope of a country like Wakanda, and the love people have for this world and these characters is enough to incite an endless amount of stories that would continue to inspire generations. Let us hope that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever lives up to that promise and to the legacy of its late, beloved star.

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a doozy so far, with mind-blowing new releases hitting both theaters and Disney+. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, especially following the first movie’s wild success. And Shuri actress Leitita Wright recently got honest about honoring the late Chadwick Boseman in the upcoming Marvel sequel.

Actor Chadwick Boseman became a real-life hero to many after debuting as T’Challa/ Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The public and his colleagues alike were shocked when he passed away in the summer of 2020, following a private battle with colon cancer. The cast and crew are seemingly dedicating the project to the late actor’s memory, with Letitia Wright recently speaking with Variety about this process. As she put it,

I’m not crying, you’re crying. It looks like there was a ton of emotion and heart put into production for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And while the contents of Ryan Coogler’s highly anticipated blockbuster remain a mystery, everyone involved has been praising the efforts made to honor Chadwick Boseman.

Letitia Wright’s comments about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will likely make a great deal of sense for those who have been following the movie’s production. In addition to the strong emotions that come from continuing the franchise without Chadwick Boseman, there were also a number of notable speed bumps along the way. Namely the injury sustained by Wright, as well as some COVID related setbacks.

Creed director Ryan Coogler was tasked with continuing the burgeoning Black Panther franchise after Chadwick Boseman suddenly passed away. He’s gone on record as calling it the most difficult task of his professional life, although cast members like Angela Bassett have praised his efforts. Wakanda Forever’s plot is currently being kept under wraps, but the movie’s title seems to hint at its emotional story.

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the question of who will take on the titular superhero mantle. There are a number of possibilities, including Letitia Wright’s Shuri. Other candidates are Danai Gurira’s Okoye or Winston Duke’s M’Baku.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently expected to arrive in theaters on November 11th, so the marketing campaign should pick up sooner rather than later. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Ever since Murder on the Orient Express released back in 2017, creating a spike in interest for Agatha Christie books everywhere, it was only a matter of time before another movie adapting the stories of Hercule Poirot would be made. Now, Death on the Nile is out in movie theaters and making splashes with an intensely talented ensemble cast. 

But with so many stars, you might be wondering where you’ve seen them before. From long-time stars in the industry to younger actors and actresses making their way, here is where you’ve seen the Death on the Nile cast before.  

Kenneth Branagh (Hercule Poirot)

Returning from the first movie is Kenneth Branagh, playing the main character of Death on the Nile, Hercule Poirot. Branagh has been in the industry for some time, in both movies and TV, so it’s not a surprise that you might have seen him before. 

Some of his biggest works in film include, Henry V, the excellent fantasy movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, My Week With Marilyn, the war film, Dunkirk, Tenet, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the Disney live-action adaptation of Cinderella, and 2021’s Belfast. 

While Branagh keeps his talents mainly to film, he’s also had a career in television as well. He had a main role in the series Lunar Jim, as well as recurring roles in shows such as Wallander, Thompson, Fortunes of War and more.

Tom Bateman (Bouc)

Also returning from the previous film is Tom Bateman, playing Bouc in Death on the Nile. Starting off his career in theatre, Bateman has appeared in a variety of movies and TV. While he also appeared in Murder on the Orient Express, he had roles in the movies Creditors, Snatched, Cold Pursuit and more. 

He’s also had a successful career in television, including roles in shows such as Da Vinci’s Demons, a lead role in Jekyll and Hyde, and parts in miniseries like Vanity Fair, Beecham House, Behind Her Eyes and more. 

Annette Bening (Euphemia)

Playing Euphemia in Death on the Nile is Annette Bening, an iconic actress who has been around for some time, appearing in huge films that have won many awards. One of her most known roles was starring in American Beauty, but some of her other big roles include The Grifters, Being Julia, The Kids Are All Right, Mrs. Harris, 20th Century Woman, Rules Don’t Apply, Captain Marvel and more. 

Bening has kept more of her talents towards movies, but she has appeared in some great TV shows and miniseries. Besides a couple of guest roles, she had a recurring voice role in the show, Liberty’s Kids, as well as an award-nominated performance in Mrs. Harris, where she played Jean Harris in a television movie. 

Russell Brand (Linus Windlesham)

Popping up next in Death in the Nile is Russell Brand, playing Linus Windlesham. While Brand is mainly known for his stand-up comedy, including several TV specials he has done, he’s been in plenty of movies and TV shows. Some of his biggest roles in film include Get Him to the Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the Despicable Me series, Hop, Trolls, Minions and more. 

Brand has definitely appeared many times as himself in TV, including shows like Saturday Night Live, Big Time Rush, and others. Among his many guest roles on television, he has been in shows like Ballers, playing Lance, as well as a guest role in Hospital People, playing Tyler Watt. 

Ali Fazal (Andrew Katchadourian)

Next up is Ali Fazal, playing Andrew Katchadourian in Death on the Nile. Fazal has been in many popular Indian films, including Fukrey, Always Kabhi Kabhi, 3 Idiots and more, but he’s also appeared in a couple of American films as well. These include Furious 7 and House Arrest on Netflix. 

Fazal has mainly kept his talents to movies when it comes to television, only having a couple of guest roles in Bollywood shows. He also had a recurring role in Bollywood Hero, and a role in the miniseries Bang Baaja Baaraat. 

Dawn French (Mrs. Bowers)

Playing Mrs. Bowers in Death on the Nile is Dawn French. Mainly known for her comedy sketch show, French and Saunders, French has had a pretty active career in television, including roles in Girls on Top, The Vicar of Dibley in which she led, Wild West, Psychoville, Delicious and more, as well as judge stints and hosting gigs on shows such as Little Big Shots and Australia’s Got Talent.  

French has also appeared in many popular movies as well. Some of her most-known roles were the stop-motion animated movie, Coraline, Love and Other Disasters and Animals United. 

Gal Gadot (Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle)

In Death on the Nile, Gal Gadot plays Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle. I’m sure at some point you’ve heard of who Gal Gadot is in the last couple of years. One of her biggest roles thus far has been playing the legendary superhero, Wonder Woman, in two standalone films, Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman: 1984, as well as appearing in Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and both versions of Justice League. 

Some of her other big roles in movies include the record-breaking Netflix film, Red Notice, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Triple 9 and more - and will soon be playing the Evil Queen in the upcoming Snow White adaptation. While she hasn’t had a main role in any TV shows, she has guest-starred on several television series’, like Entourage, The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. 

Armie Hammer (Simon Doyle)

Moving on, we have Armie Hammer, who plays Simon Doyle in Death on the Nile, the husband of Gal Gadot’s character. Armie Hammer has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Some of his biggest roles were being a part of The Social Network cast, The Lone Ranger, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Call Me By Your Name, On The Basis Of Sex and more. 

He’s also had roles in many TV shows, including but not limited to the CW series, Gossip Girl, Reaper, and guest roles on many other shows like Veronica Mars or Desperate Housewives. 

Rose Leslie (Lousie Bourget)

Up next is Rose Leslie, who plays Louise Bourget in Death on the Nile. Leslie has appeared in some great roles in movies, including The Last Witch Hunter, The Last Dance, Morgan and more, but television is where she really shines. 

For three seasons, Leslie starred as Ygritte on Game of Thrones. Besides that, she’s also had main roles in shows like Downton Abbey, where she played Gwen Dawson during the first season, portrayed Emma Lane in Luther, played Maia Rindell in The Good Fight, and played Kirsten Longacre in the miniseries, Vigil. 

Emma Mackey (Jacqueline de Bellefort)

Playing Jacqueline de Bellefort in Death on the Nile is Emma Mackey. While she’s younger than many of her other co-stars on this list, Mackey has been making strides in Hollywood through her roles. 

In terms of movies, she’s appeared in the films The Winter Lake and Eiffel, but her biggest role this far is being a part of the Sex Education cast, playing Maeve Wiley in the popular Netflix series.  

Sophie Okonedo (Salome Otterbourne)

Next up is Sophie Okonedo, who plays Salome Otterbourne in Death on the Nile. With a career that has spannwd decades, Okonedo has almost done too many roles to list them all, but rest assured, you’ve probably seen her before. 

Some of her biggest roles in movies have been starring in Hotel Rwanda (which got her a nomination for an Academy Award), Martian Child, The Secret Life of Bees, Skin, Hellboy, Christopher Robin and more. 

Okonedo has also appeared in a variety of TV shows. These include The Governor, Starting Alive, In Defence, Clocking Off, Tsunami: The Aftermath, Criminal Justice, Flack, the Ryan Murphy-created series, Ratched, the Amazon Prime original series, Modern Love and Wheel of Time, His Dark Materials, and many, many other roles. 

Jennifer Saunders (Marie Van Schuyler)

Second to last is Jennifer Saunders, who plays Marie Van Schuyler in Death on the Nile. Saunders is most known for her sketch comedy show, French and Saunders, which she hosted with her comedy partner, Dawn French (as previously seen on this list). However, Saunders has had quite the career in both movies and TV. 

In terms of movies, Saunders has appeared in roles that include Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2, Coraline, Minions, Sing and Sing 2, Patrick, and more.

Saunders has also had quite the TV career. Besides her popular sketch shows with her partner, including Absolutely Fabulous, Parkinson, Dead Boss, Blandings, Josh, The Stranger miniseries and more, alongside many guest appearances in reality and talk shows, examples being Richard Osman’s House of Games and The View, among others. 

Letitia Wright (Rosalie Otterbourne) 

Lastly, we have Letitia Wright, who plays Rosalie Otterbourne in Death on the Nile. Wright has been making her name known these last couple of years with her big appearance as Shuri in the popular Marvel film, Black Panther, a role that she reprised again in both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and is reprising once more in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Besides her character in the MCU, Wright was also a part of the Sing 2 cast, and appeared in movies such as Guava Island, The Commuter, and Ready Player One. 

Wright has also had a pretty big career in television, including roles in shows like Banana, Cucumber, Top Boy, Humans, the Netflix original series, Black Mirror and the miniseries, Small Axe. 

With so many stars in this movie, it’s no wonder they’ve been in so many movies and TV shows, but now, they can all add Death on the Nile onto their resume as well. And I for one can’t wait to see what they do next.  

It’s time to breathe a sigh of relief, Marvel fans. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was put on the back burner after the tragic death of star Chadwick Boseman. To add fuel to the fire, COVID-19, scheduling conflicts, and cast injuries threw even more roadblocks on the film’s path to theaters. Now that 2022 has kicked off, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is finally back on track. 

After Black Panther star Letitia Wright was injured on the set of Wakanda Forever last August, fans were concerned that the Shuri actress would not be able to continue production. According to BBC News, however, a spokesperson for Wright confirmed that she was recently allowed to return to set after nearly five months of downtime. 

Why  such a long recovery period? When Letita Wright was first hurt, reports claimed that her injuries were ‘minor.’ The incident had occurred during an overnight filming session in Boston. Unfortunately, further inspection revealed that the Shuri actress had suffered "a critical shoulder fracture and a concussion with severe side effects,” leading to an extended healing process that halted filming in its tracks. It wouldn’t be the first time an injury has gotten in the way of a Marvel movie, so the production time was wise to give Wright plenty of time to heal. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler attempted to record as much material as possible in Letitia Wright’s absence, but that proved to be increasingly difficult. Once it was announced that T’Challa would not be recast out of respect for Chadwick Boseman, the prince’s sister Shuri was set to take center stage as the film’s protagonist. As a result, Letitia Wright was number one on the call sheet for most of the movie’s filming shifts. With the actress out of commission, all of the Shuri-less scenes were quickly completed, leaving the production team with nothing to do but wait. 

Letitia Wright’s injury was the latest in a long line of setbacks for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The pandemic convinced Disney to push back many Marvel Phase Four releases, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder. Some films were only delayed a few months, while other sequels like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were rescheduled for release in 2023. Luckily for Marvel fans, the movie studio is still planning to move forward with the entirety of its Phase Four agenda - it might just take a little longer to come to fruition. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is slated to hit theaters on November 11, 2022. Letitia Wright stars alongside returning cast members Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, and Martin Freeman. Marvel newcomer Dominique Thorne will introduce the character Riri Williams/Ironheart to the MCU. 

After five years of waiting, Sing 2 has finally arrived in theaters and it's bigger than ever. Featuring a variety of famous voices and singers, you might be wondering where you’ve seen or heard some of these actors before, and believe it or not, there’s a high chance they have popped up on your television or movie screens once or twice. 

From well-known names like Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, to singing superstars like Tori Kelly and Halsey, here is why you might be thinking, “I’ve definitely heard that voice before somewhere” when listening to the Sing 2 cast.

Matthew McConaughey (Buster Moon)

First off, we have Matthew McConaughey who plays Buster in Sing 2, the koala who owns the Moon theater who has so much faith in all our performers. This actor has been in the business for some time. 

For example, you might have seen him in his long string of hilarious romantic comedies, such as How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past, and more. Or, you might have seen him pop up in dramatic movies where he’s really shown his acting skills, like The Wolf of Wall Street, alongside the wonderful Leonardo DiCaprio, Mud, Dallas Buyers Club (for which he won a Best Actor Oscar), and more. 

To be honest, he’s done so much that it’s hard to put everything down in one section, but just know that he has certainly popped up on screen before. And, this will certainly not be the last that you see of him. 

Reese Witherspoon (Rosita)

That lovely little pig that we all adore is Rosita, played by Reese Witherspoon in Sing 2. Witherspoon has been active in the film industry for quite some time, starting off her career in the '90s, with big hits like Election and Cruel Intentions, before becoming a megastar in movies like Legally Blonde (which is getting a second sequel soon), Sweet Home Alabama, Walk the Line, and more. 

Witherspoon has also appeared in a few TV shows as well, winning awards for her performances. She stars in the Apple TV+ show, The Morning Show, starred in the Hulu miniseries, Little Fires Everywhere, and was a part of the HBO drama series, Big Little Lies. I could think of no one better to voice Rosita than her. 

Scarlett Johansson (Ash)

Next up, we have Ash in Sing 2, the porcupine with a big voice, as voiced by Scarlett Johansson. For many years, Johansson has worked in the film industry, and millions of fans know her as the face of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (until recently), but she’s been in many other films. 

Starting off her career young, she’s appeared in films such as Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Prestige, the sci-fi horror movie Under the Skin, as well as Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story, both of which netted her 2020 Oscar nominations. 

Taron Egerton (Johnny)

Next up, we have Johnny, a gorilla who’s a bit shy but has the voice of a god in Sing 2, voiced by Taron Egerton. 

With a career that started in 2013, Egerton has appeared in many movies and TV shows. In terms of film, he leads the Kingsman series, as well as dramatic/comedic films such as Eddie the Eagle, Billionaire Boys Club, and Rocketman. 

He’s guest starred on a couple of shows, but most recently had the voice role of Rian in the Netflix series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, among other projects. With a voice like that, I want to hear him sing so much more. 

Tori Kelly (Meena)

Moving on, we have Meena in Sing 2, the shy elephant who has a heart of gold, and she is voiced by the wonderful Tori Kelly. While she hasn't made any serious film appearances as an actress, Tori Kelly is a fantastic singer with a long career and several albums. 

She’s also appeared on a variety of competition shows, including The Masked Singer, American Idol, The Voice and more. She also had a guest role on the children’s show, Sesame Street. 

Nick Kroll (Gunter)

Gunter is that spunky pig that we all know and love in Sing 2, and he is voiced by the wonderful Nick Kroll. The last couple of years, Kroll has been in a roll with his hit animated series, Big Mouth, but that doesn't mean that he doesn’t have a ton of other awesome projects. 

In terms of movies, he’s appeared in several, but some of his most notable are Get Him to the Greek, Sausage Party, The Secret Life of Pets 2, The House, The Addams Family, and How It Ends. 

With television, he co-created and starred in The Kroll Show, had a main role in The Life & Times of Tim, has a main voice role on his own show, Big Mouth, and has appeared in several other television shows as a guest. 

Bobby Cannavale (Jimmy Crystal)

Jimmy Crystal is one scary wolf in Sing 2, and he is voiced by Bobby Cannavale. This actor has appeared in a variety of television and film projects. In movies, he’s appeared in the MCU in Ant-Man (and its sequel), The Station Agent, The Other Guys, Tom and Jerry, Thunderforce, The Irishman and more. 

On television, he had starring roles on Third Watch and Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers, and a variety of recurring appearances on many popular shows, such as the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, Master of None, Mr. Robot, Vinyl, Will & Grace, and many, many others. He also had a role in the Amazon original series, Homecoming. 

Halsey (Porsha Crystal)

Playing Porsha, who is Jimmy’s daughter, in Sing 2 is the singer, Halsey. While she hasn’t had many film or television roles, Halsey is a singer with several popular singles and albums, and if you haven’t listened to her music, you definitely should. She had a minor role in A Star is Born, as well as a minor voice role in Teen Titan’s Go! To the Movies, but other than that, this is her first major part.

She’s also performed on Saturday Night Live, late night talk shows, and competition series, like The Voice, to show off her vocal skills.

Pharrell Williams (Alfonso)

Another elephant in Sing 2, Alfonso, is voiced by yet another singer, Pharrell Williams. Again, he hasn’t done much in terms of actually being in movies and TV as an actor, but in terms of being a singer, he is one of the best out there. 

He was a composer for the music for the Despicable Me series, the narrator for the most recent adaptation of The Grinch, and had a cameo appearance in the Disney+ original film, Black is King, but Sing 2 will be his first major role in movies. He was also a coach on The Voice for a couple of seasons. 

Nick Offerman (Norman)

Playing Rosita’s husband, Norman, in Sing 2 is Nick Offerman, mostly known for his hilarious role as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation. However, Offerman has done far more than just comedy on TV, as he’s appeared in many films and TV shows. 

In movies, he played Richard McDondald in The Founder, had a minor role in both 21 and 22 Jump Street, a role in We’re the Millers as Don Fitzgerald, played Victor Gaines in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and voiced Mike Loughran in Hotel Transylvania 2, among many other roles. 

Offerman has also had a lot of TV work, including playing Chance Briggs in Children’s Hospital, portraying Karl Weathers in Fargo, and hosting Making It alongside Amy Poehler. He also has a lot of shows coming up - including playing Bill in HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation, so be sure to keep an eye out for him. 

Letitia Wright (Nooshy)

Nooshy is an awesome street dancer and is voiced by Letitia Wright in Sing 2. Most people probably know about Wright from her big role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Shuri in Black Panther, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. She is also set to reprise the role for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Other than that, Wright has appeared in many films and TV shows in her short career so far. She portrayed Yara Love in Guava Island, and Reb in Ready Player One, and many other film roles. On TV, she played a big part in an episode of Black Mirror, and has guest starred on a variety of shows, including Doctor Who, Chasing Shadows, and Coming Up. She also had recurring roles in Cucumber and Banana. 

Eric Andre (Darius)

Darius is the yak in Sing 2, and he is voiced by Eric Andre. A comedic actor who has appeared in so much, Andre is certainly a name you have seen before. He’s appeared in films like The Internship, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, voiced Azizi in The Lion King Disney live-action remake, played Chris Carey in Bad Trip, voiced Mark Bowman in The Mitchells vs. the Machines cast, and more. 

He created Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show, which is still going on now, and also had a main role in Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23, a recurring role in 2 Broke Girls, portrayed Mike in Man Seeking Woman, and voices Luci in Disenchantment, among many other guest appearances on TV. Andre also has his own hilarious Netflix comedy special that you should watch right now. 

Chelsea Peretti (Suki)

Playing Johnny’s assistant in Sing 2 is Chelsea Peretti, a hilarious comedian with plenty of acting experience. Her biggest role thus far was playing Gina Linetti in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but she’s appeared in many other TV shows like The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s Dumbest, which she hosted, China, IL, Big Mouth, American Dad, and Harvey Girls Forever. 

She’s also appeared in a few movies, her most notable being Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Game Night, and The Photograph. 

Bono (Clay Calloway)

Last but not least, we have Bono, who voices Clay Calloway in Sing 2. Bono, like many of the other singers on this list, hasn’t done much in the acting department, but his singing career is one for the record books, as he's frontman for the rock band, U2. 

Bono's had cameo appearances in the TV show Entourage, along many others, and has appeared in several documentaries, including Muscle Shoals. Even so, it’s incredibly exciting to see him offering his voice to a big-time movie like Sing 2.

Jeez, with a cast this fantastic, Sing 2 should be amazing. And, now, you might have an idea of where you’ve seen or heard the cast before - and finally have a face to put with that amazingly talented singing voice. 

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.

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,

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.

Since the summer, Black Panther filmmaker Ryan Coogler, along with the cast and crew, have been hard at work on the Marvel sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ahead of its late 2022 release date. Unfortunately, in late August, Letitia Wright was injured on the set of the film while shooting a sequence on a stunt rig. The actress has since taken a leave from the production as filming continued to progress. But, now we’re hearing Wakanda Forever is taking a pause until next year. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is shutting down production as Letitia Wright continues to heal from her on-set injury, per The Hollywood Reporter. The cast and crew has been working around the actress in the meantime but it looks like the 28-year-old will now need more time to recover.  

When Letitia Wright was first injured, Marvel Studios shared that Letitia Wright’s injury would not be stalling production, but plans have since changed as the actress continues to take it easy at home in London. Reportedly, Ryan Coogler has now shot all the footage he can without Letitia Wright. Since she isn’t ready to jump back on set in Atlanta, Georgia, the entire cast and crew will be taking a break starting from the week of Thanksgiving until early 2022. A representative for Letitia Wright shared the following statement: 

With that in mind, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will lose at least a month on its filming schedule when it’s currently set for a November 2022 release. It’s unclear who the focus of the Marvel sequel will be following the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman the summer prior, but many believe Letitia Wright will step up as the star of the Marvel film. Wright plays T’Challa’s sister Shuri, who has a knack for technology and helped save the universe with the Avengers in Infinity War and Endgame. 

Also among the Wakanda Forever cast is Angela Bassett back as the mother of T’Challa and Shuri, Ramonda, Daniel Kaluuya’s W’Kabi, Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, Winston Duke’s M’Baku, Florence Kasumna’s Ayo and Martin Freeman’s Everett K. Ross. I May Destroy You’s creator and star Michaela Coel will play an unknown role in the film as well. 

The first Black Panther film is the most decorated Marvel film to date, since it became the first to be nominated for Best Picture, along with other distinctions. There’s a lot of pressure on Wakanda Forever to do right by its legacy and continue the story in a meaningful way without T’Challa. We’ll keep you posted here on CinemaBlend about the project as we learn more. We wish Letitia Wright well with her continued recovery. 

It’s all clear in the minds of many how difficult it was to keep things business as usual when the COVID-19 pandemic slowed and paused many businesses, including tons of Hollywood productions. This year, movie and TV sets continue to grapple with maintaining a safe environment in the coronavirus era. This includes the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, which is currently being filmed. Recent reports suggested that Letitia Wright was spreading ‘anti-vaccine’ information on the set of the film. A week after the backlash, Wright has responded to the claims made. 

Letitia Wright responded on Instagram with an image of an armed knight with a quote from the Bible and a comment directly addressing the claims. In her words: 

The Hollywood Reporter article she references was called ‘Hollywood Battle Lines Emerge in Simmering Vaccine War,’ and it discussed the COVID-19 vaccine situation as it relates to Hollywood productions. The story named a “set source” who said that Letitia Wright was sharing anti-vaccine views on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which has been shooting in Atlanta, Georgia since the summer. 

The 27-year-old British actress was previously under fire on social media in December 2020 on the matter when she shared a video by a self-proclaimed prophet named Tomi Arayomi, who suggests vaccines cannot be trusted, along with saying he doesn’t “biologically believe in” transgender people. Wright herself did not initially share why she brought attention to the video, but it caused a lot of backlash her way.

Following that, Letitia Wright clarified on Twitter (in a since deleted post) that her “intention was not to hurt anyone,” but posting the video raised her concerns with “what the vaccine contains and what we are putting into our bodies.” Whether or not Wright is pro or anti-vaccine, her recent comments seem to be specifically referencing her behavior on set. Wright assured that her “focus” on set is her work and not on spreading vaccine beliefs. 

These days Letitia Wright has limited her social media usage, with her Instagram bio stating “no tik tok. No facebook. No twitter.” You can check out her recent comments in full here: 

Letitia Wright returns to Wakanda as Shuri alongside Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba and Winston Duke on July 8, 2022. You can check out the full Marvel Cinematic Universe movie lineup here on CinemaBlend. 

Earlier this week, Black Panther actress Letitia Wright suffered minor injuries while shooting the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in Boston. Fortunately, Wright didn’t stay at the hospital long, and production on the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie was not impacted. But with the news of Wright having been hospitalized coming out, it also seemingly squashed a rumor that had surfaced last year that she wouldn’t appear in Wakanda Forever.

Back in December 2020, Letitia Wright shared a video on Twitter that questioned the COVID-19 vaccine, among other controversial remarks. When people on the social media platform took issue w with Wright plugging the video, the actress said she was simply raising concerns about what she could be putting in her body. This subsequently led to accusations that Wright was an anti-vaxxer, leading to her deleting both her Twitter and Instagram accounts.

From there, speculation emerged that Marvel could recast Shuri for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with TMZ even wondering if I May Destroy You star Michaela Coel would take over the role when her casting was announced last month. But just like how calls to replace Amber Heard as Mera on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom went unanswered, Marvel decided to keep Letitia Wright on for Wakanda Forever, as evidenced by the news of her going to the hospital due to an incident involving a stunt rig. As such, we’re still in the dark on who Coel will be playing, though there is some cool fan art that depicts her as Storm.

Frankly, most of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is shrouded in secrecy, including story details. What we do know is that along with Letitia Wright reprising Shuri, princess of Wakanda and leader of the African nation’s Design Group, the sequel 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. Wakanda Forever will also introduce Dominique Williams’ Riri Williams ahead of the premiere of her Disney+ series Ironheart. As far as other newcomers go, Michaela Coel will reportedly be accompanied by Tenoch Huerta, who is rumored to be playing Namor the Sun-Mariner.

Of course, we can’t discuss Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without bringing up the man who was supposed to star in it. Sadly, Chadwick Boseman passed away from colon cancer a year ago, and Marvel Studios decided not to hire a new actor to play T’Challa, nor recreate the character digitally. So not only does T’Challa’s fate need to be addressed, but there’s also the question of who will inherit the Black Panther mantle. The most logical guess among the fans has been Shuri, as not only has the character become Black Panther in the comics, but it’s been reported that Letitia Wright will have a bigger role in Wakanda Forever.

All will be revealed when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens on July 8, 2022. While we wait for more updates on its progress, look through our upcoming Marvel movies guide to learn what else this superhero franchise is sending to the big screen.

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:

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.

Major Hollywood studios despise scandals. Opening a blockbuster film in this marketplace is hard enough, and when a scandal casts a shadow over a production, or a member of a sprawling cast, that threatens to be a massive distraction from the movie at hand. Which brings us to a piece regarding Armie Hammer, his ongoing negative publicity, and the attempts by Walt Disney to postpone having to address the issue because Hammer happens to be a male lead in the studio’s oft-delayed Agatha Christie adaptation Death on the Nile.

Variety tackles these concerns in a column that follows up news that Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile feature shifted all the way back to Quarter One of 2022 as Walt Disney studio shuffles release dates and plans for theaters to reopen. This is just the latest in a series of delays for Death on the Nile, though the previous ones were due to production issues and then COVID restrictions. Those delays, however, have put the massive murder mystery on a collision course to a publicity nightmare thanks to the headlines Armie Hammer is getting.

Hammer, as you may or may not know, is the center of an LAPD investigation regarding claims of a violent rape from 2017. He has been outed on social media as someone who might be involved in domination and sexual cannibalism, claims that are unverified and he has mostly denied. He’s engaged in a public custody battle with his ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers, who was married to the actor for 10 years. And he has been losing professional gigs in the wake of these allegations, stepping away from the Lionsgate RomCom Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez, then being dropped from The Billion Dollar Spy, a Cold War drama with Mads Mikkelsen.

Which brings us to Death on the Nile, and Disney’s difficult situation. The studio can’t fire Armie Hammer from the movie. The movie’s done, and according to sources who spoke to Variety, he has a significant part that can’t just be removed. There’s precedent for that, as when Christopher Plummer replaced Kevin Spacey in the Ridley Scott drama All the Money in the World. The late actor actually ended up getting a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his work.

Other analysts suggested to Variety that Walt Disney simply bite the bullet and take the stance that hundreds of talented people worked on Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile, and they’re not going to let the alleged actions of one cast member sink the whole ship. But Variety astutely notes that any press needs to be protective of Armie Hammer’s female co-stars, including Gal Gadot and Letitia Wright, because of the violent nature of the allegations leveled at the actor.

The release date buys Disney some time on Death on the Nile, and we will continue to see how the Armie Hammer story plays out. Eventually, though, Kenneth Branagh’s movie is going to see the light of day, and we’ll figure out if Hammer’s alleged actions overshadow the director’s accomplishments.

Amazon’s Small Axe is a collection of five films that tell personal stories from London’s West Indian community between the 1960s and 1980s. Featuring stars like Letitia Wright and John Boyega, the anthology series was created and directed by Steve McQueen. The esteemed British filmmaker perhaps best known for his award-winning feature 12 Years a Slave has commented on a shift in the industry for Black artists and creators.

Our world is constantly evolving, and we see those changes over time reflected in the media we consume. I recently attended a Q&A in support of the third installment in Small Axe titled Red, White and Blue which highlights the true story of Leroy Logan (played by John Boyega). The film is a sobering look at a man who joined the police force in an attempt to change racist ideals from within and how he’s received at work, at home, and on the streets. During the Q&A, Steve McQueen said this of the difference between Black creations today and those of the past:

Small Axe is about having our hands in a way to control our own destiny. That’s powerful, and I’d say the goal was accomplished.Throughout Small Axe we see strong Black characters standing up for what they believe in, really fighting for change and working to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of those around them. We also see them celebrating family, culture and opportunity in the most beautiful way.

The anthology series has been positively received by critics. As Steve McQueen mentioned, having the power to make something that cannot be ignored really makes all the difference. Yes, Small Axe is telling stories about a specific community, but it is not only the West Indian community in London that can relate to these characters or be moved by these stories. For any film fan, Small Axe offers hours of stunning cinematography and both heart-breaking and heart-warming performances you can’t tear your eyes away from.

All five Small Axe films are streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Keep checking back at CinemaBlend to stay updated on what’s coming up on Prime Video and all your other favorite streaming services.

Given how exceptionally Black Panther performed on both the critical and commercial fronts in 2018, it’s hardly surprising that Marvel Studios eventually gave the green light to a sequel. Unfortunately, Black Panther 2 will lack its predecessor’s lead actor, as Chadwick Boseman passed away last August from complications related to colon cancer. The following December, Marvel producer Kevin Feige announced that T’Challa will not be recast for Black Panther 2, leaving the ultimate fate of the character shrouded in mystery.

Nevertheless, Black Panther 2 is still pushing forward as the first theatrical release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 5, with filming reportedly beginning this June. While we await story details for the sequel, let’s go over the actors who’ve been announced so far to make up the main cast, many of whom you’ll remember from our last Black Panther outing.

Letitia Wright

Wakanda has Princess Shuri to thank for many of its modern technological innovations, and T’Challa certainly wouldn’t have gotten far in Black Panther without his sister’s help, which included her giving him a nanotech-enhanced suit contained inside a Panther Habit. Letitia Wright reprised Shuri in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame; the former movie saw her attempting to extract the Mind Stone from Vision without killing him, and she participated in the latter movie’s climactic battle after being returned to life by Hulk’s Infinity Stones-powered snap. Because a new actor won’t be playing T’Challa in Black Panther 2, it’s been speculated that Shuri might inherit the Black Panther mantle like her comic book counterpart did, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Danai Gurira

Within the MCU, Danai Gurira’s Okoye leads the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s all-female special forces group. She was one of T’Challa’s key allies in Black Panther and fought alongside her king in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Presumably Okoye will still be leading the Dora Milaje when Black Panther 2 rolls around, so she’ll likely continue to support Black Panther (whoever that is) out in the field. It’s also worth noting that unlike T’Challa and Shuri, Okoye survived Thanos’ genocidal snap, so it might be interesting to touch on what life was like for her away from the Avengers during those five years when half of the universe’s population was gone.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia was once part of the Dora Milaje, but then shifted to being a War Dog, i.e. an international spy for Wakanda. It was also noted in Black Panther how she and T’Challa used to be romantically involved, and at the end of the the movie, it looked like they were resuming their relationship. However, Nakia did not appear in Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame, and because T’Challa won’t be involved in Black Panther 2, it stands to reason we won’t get to see the couple’s story properly concluded. Obviously it would be welcome for Black Panther 2 to explore how Nakia is dealing with T’Challa’s absence if something tragic has happened to him, but it would also be nice to learn what Nakia has been up to since Black Panther ended, including if she was among the people turned to dust by Thanos.

Winston Duke

The Jabari Tribe wasn’t on the best of terms with the rest of Wakanda at the beginning of Black Panther, and its leader, M’Baku, even challenged T’Challa for the right to lead Wakanda. Later on though, Winston Duke’s character ended being a key ally to T’Challa when Killmonger took the Wakandan throne, and by the end of Black Panther, he’d become a member of Wakanda’s national council. M’Baku was later seen battling Thanos’ forces in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but with Black Panther 2 back to focusing on Wakandan life, hopefully we’ll see how M’Baku has settled into collaborating with Wakanda’s other prominent figures rather than keeping the Jabari isolated.

Angela Bassett

Ramonda didn’t have a whole lot to do in Black Panther, but it was clear that she was a good mother to both T’Challa and Shuri, as well as a wise ruler. Angela Bassett briefly reprised Ramonda in Avengers: Endgame, but Black Panther 2 provides the opportunity to give her a bigger role in this corner of the MCU. If the Wakandan throne is now empty, perhaps Ramonda could sit back in it while a new leader is chosen. Or, if Shuri is crowed Wakanda’s queen, then needless to say that Ramonda’s counsel would be most welcome as her daughter is getting the hang of leadership.

Martin Freeman

In the pages of Marvel Comics, Everett Ross is one of United States’ chief experts on Wakanda. Martin Freeman’s iteration of the character looked to be heading in that same direction, because although he and T’Challa got off on the wrong foot in Captain America: Civil War, during Black Panther, Ross ended up being of invaluable assistance during the final battle against Killmonger’s forces. It’s unclear if Ross is now a U.S. liaison to Wakanda when Black Panther 2 begins or if he’s been stationed elsewhere, but either way, I imagine if he finds his way back to the African nation, he’ll be received warmly.

Tenoch Huerta

Tenoch Huerta is arguably best known to American audiences for starring as Rafael Caro Quinto in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico. He also had a two-episode stint in Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle, and can be seen later this year in The Forever Purge. Huerta was the first new actor to be reported for Black Panther 2, although his involvement hasn’t been confirmed yet. If he does sign onto the sequel, Huerta would apparently play one of the movie’s antagonists, with some sources saying he could be cast as White Tiger. If that’s true, that would be taking the character in a different direction, as White Tiger is usually portrayed in a heroic light.

Black Panther 2 is currently slated for July 8, 2022. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on its development, including the announcements of more actors. In the meantime, you can learn what else the MCU is prepping for the big screen with our Marvel movies guide.

In the age of social media, many celebrities are known to express their personal opinions on a myriad of topics via digital spaces. This does, sometimes, lead to criticism from the public at large, and this was recently the case for Black Panther star Letitia Wright. The actress received backlash this past week after sharing a link to a video that appeared to express anti-vaccine views. Now, it appears that Wright has deleted her social media accounts following the controversy.

Letitia Wright’s Twitter and Instagram accounts no longer appear when users try to access them. The initial situation began on Friday when she took to Twitter to share the link to the 69-minute video, which came from the “On The Table” YouTube channel. Aside from the link, Wright’s original post included a prayer hands emoji. The post immediately caused fans to chime in, with Wright directly responding to a number of their messages.

Before deleting her social media accounts, Wright posted another message on Twitter in which she explained why she chose to post the video. She stated that she didn’t mean to hurt anyone, as her intention was to raise her concerns about what she could potentially be putting into her body.

In the actual video, the host gives his views on the potential COVID-19 vaccine, questioning its legitimacy in the process. The video also accused China of spreading the coronavirus, included transphobic remarks and appeared to be skeptical of climate change. As of this writing, the video has now been removed by YouTube for violating the website’s terms of service.

As mentioned, the video caught the attention of many people across the web, including Wright’s Avengers co-star Don Cheadle. He initially came to Wright’s defense but admitted that he hadn’t seen the video when he made his initial statement. After watching it, he later asserted in a tweet that he could not defend anyone who shared the sentiments, though he said he would not cancel Wright:

As we continue through the global health crisis, it’s recently been reported that several COVID-19 vaccines are in the final stages of testing and could soon be distributed to the public. This has drawn mixed response from the public thus far. Many see this as a breakthrough and a key step in combating COVID-19, while others share Wright’s sentiments and are expressing concerns.

Neither Wright nor her reps have commented since she departed her social media channels, and it remains to be seen if she’ll be reactivating them in the near future. Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more updates and for more from the world of movies and TV.

In the last half decade, John Boyega and Leitita Wright have become shining stars in the Hollywood sphere thanks to their roles in major franchises, among other projects. Boyega brought Finn to life in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, and Letitia Wright is continuing to play Shuri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As of yet, these two have yet to star alongside each other in a movie or TV show, but that’s ok, as they’re already quite familiar with each other from their time in school.

John Boyega and Letitia Wright have been friends for almost 10 years now, having met each other at London’s Identity School of Acting. While the two had some classes together, they informed People that they really got to know each other when chatting at McDonald’s during their off time. Here’s what Wright had to say in the interview about what Boyega was like back then:

While most of the general public didn’t become aware of John Boyega until he debuted as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he certainly left a memorable impression playing Moses in the Joe Cornish-directed sci-fi movie Attack the Block, which also starred Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker and Shaun of the Dead’s Nick Frost. Boyega also starred in 24: Live Another Day and Imperial Dreams before he boarded the Star Wars franchise.

As for Letitia Wright, she appeared in movies like My Brother the Devil and TV shows like Cucumber before she starred as Shuri in Black Panther, a role she reprised in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Boyega said the following about Wright during their school days:

Given how famous these two have become and the close bond they share, I imagine there will come a day where they’ll act opposite one another on-screen. That said, it is worth noting that the two actors are technically involved with the same project: Small Axe, a British anthology film series available on Amazon Prime Video. Put together by filmmaker Steve McQueen, these films tells stories centered around London’s West Indian immigrant community from the late 1960s to early 1980s. Boyega stars in Red, White and Blue, and Wright stars in Mangrove.

Looking to the future, along with her fourth outing as Shuri in Black Panther 2, Letitia Wright will also be seen as Rosalie Otterbourne in Death on the Nile (the second of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot adaptations) and Moses Washington in Surrounded (which she’s also producing). John Boyega’s time as Finn ended last year in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but he’s keeping quite busy in the years ahead with projects like Naked Singularity, They Cloned Tyrone, Rebel Ridge and Borderland.

We here at CinemaBlend will keep you apprised on more news concerning John Boyega and Leitita Wright’s professional endeavors. Stay apprised of movies that are slated to come out next year with our 2021 release schedule.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Yesterday marked actor Chadwick Boseman’s birthday, who would have turned 44 if he were still with us. Sadly, the Black Panther star passed away in late August from complications related to his four-year battle with colon cancer. Though he’s now gone, he’s certainly not forgotten, as evidenced by some of his Black Panther costars, including Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o, and other famous folks who knew him paying tribute on his birthday.

Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger may have been the chief opponent for Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa in Black Panther, but in real life, the two actors were incredibly close. Jordan addressed the impact that Boseman left on him shortly after he passed away, and here’s what he shared on social media for the late actor’s birthday.

In Lupita Nyong’o’s case, she performed in Black Panther as one of T’Challa’s key allies, with Nakia being an undercover spy for Wakanda and the monarch’s former lover. Nyong’o honored Chadwick Boseman with the following:

Next we have Letitia Wright, who starred in Black Panther as Shuri, T’Challa’s gadget-designing genius sister. Wright posted a touching video tribute for Chadwick Boseman, which you can watch below.

Looking at the wider MCU, Mark Ruffalo, who’s been playing Bruce Banner/The Hulk since The Avengers, shared some screen time with Chadwick Boseman in Avengers: Infinity War. To honor Boseman this year, Ruffalo shared a video he recorded of the Infinity War cast and crew celebrating Boseman’s birthday back then.

Finally, venturing outside of the MCU, Chadwick Boseman also received a birthday message from Viola Davis, who worked him on the upcoming Netflix movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Here’s what David (who has comic book movie cred from playing Amanda Waller in the DCEU) had to say:

Along with these social media tributes, Chadwick Boseman earned a special honor from Marvel Studios and Disney. Just like what was done for Stan Lee in Captain Marvel, a special version of the Marvel Studios intro was put together filled with concept art and footage of Boseman and T’Challa. This opening is playing within Black Panther on Disney+, although I wonder if it will be re-presented when Black Panther 2 rolls around. Let’s also not forget the tributes to Boseman that poured in the immediate weeks after his death, including an ABC TV special, a shoutout from Marvel Comics and a mural set up at Disneyland Resort’s Downtown Disney.

We have two posthumous performances from Chadwick Boseman to look forward to in the near future. The previously-mentioned Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, where Boseman played a trumpeter named Levee, is set to hit Netflix on December 18. Finally, we’ll hear Boseman one last time as T’Challa in Marvel’s What If… ? animated series, which is expected to premiere on Disney+ sometime next year. The episode focusing on T’Challa will explore what would have happened if the character had become Star-Lord instead of Black Panther. You can use the following link to sign up for the Mouse House’s streaming service if you’re not a subscriber already

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for the latest and greatest film and TV news items. Keep track of what movies are intended to play in theaters next year with our 2021 release schedule. Those of you specifically curious about what the MCU has lined up for the coming years should look through our Marvel movies guide.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always growing, but the fandom has had to wait longer than ever for Phase Four to kick off. Still, there's a variety of exciting projects coming down the pipeline, with plenty of new crossover opportunities. Some moviegoers are left wondering if that all-female Marvel movie might ever happen, and now Shuri actress Letitia Wright has spoken to that possibility.

Calls for an all-female Marvel movie is largely coming from within the house, as stars like Tessa Thompson and Zoe Saldana have expressed their interest in uniting the franchise's femme fatales. And while there's been no updates about development starting, Letitia Wright seems hopeful about it happening eventually. In the Black Panther actress' words:

Well, that's certainly exciting. It looks like the head of Marvel Studios are passionate about eventually bringing the female characters of the universe together for their own big screen adventure. Of course, the plans for Phase Four have already been pushed back so there's no telling when this project could actually begin development.

Letitia Wright's comments to Yahoo! will no doubt be hopeful for Marvels fans who want to see a movie about the women of the shared universe. While Phase One focused almost entirely on white male characters, the MCU has become a more diverse place in the years since. Plenty of female characters have found their power over the years, and now certain fans want to see them connect and collaborate in a blockbuster.

Marvel fans can re-watch the Infinity Saga on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Talk about an all-female Marvel movie were increased following a brief sequence in Avengers: Endgame's final battle. When Captain Marvel arrives on scene, she takes on Thanos' forces backed by the likes of Valkyrie, Gamora, Nebula, Mantis, The Wasp, Shuri, Pepper Potts, and Scarlet Witch. While some moviegoers eye rolled at this sequence, others were galvanized to see more female collaboration in future projects.

Given the Marvel Cinematic Universe's current schedule, an all-female movie likely couldn't happen for a number of years. Phase Four was supposed to have begun months ago with Black Widow, and The Eternals' intended release date is coming shortly. And with the next two Phases of movie seemingly already planned out, there's no telling when Marvel Studios might be able to focus on a team of femme fatales.

As for Letitia Wright, the Marvel fandom is curious to see how Shuri's story will pan out in the MCU. This became especially true following the death of Chadwick Boseman, many are wondering if Wright's character could take on the mantle of Black Panther. This is a plot line that occurs in the Marvel comics, but it's still too soon for anyone involved in the franchise to address moving on without Boseman.

The next installment in the MCU is Black Widow, which is currently set to hit theaters May 7th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

The year 2020 has been difficult for a number of reasons, and that includes notable celebrity deaths. Few of these passings were quite as universally devastating as the loss of actor Chadwick Boseman, who died at the age of 43 following a private battle with colon cancer. And his Black Panther co-star Letitia Wright recently addressed chatter about the future of the franchise after Boseman's death.

Letitia Wright made her MCU debut in Black Panther, while also appearing with Chadwick Boseman in both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. She is one of the many colleagues who posted a moving tribute for the late actor following his passing, proving what a close relationship they formed over their time in Wakanda. Wright recently did an interview where she briefly mentioned the complicated feelings that go into chatter about the previously announced Black Panther sequel. As she explained,

Emotions are strong when it comes to Chadwick Boseman. And while the public has been mourning, this is especially true for those who actually knew the late actor. As such, Letitia Wright doesn't seem ready to look ahead at Black Panther's future. It's too raw, and strange to think of the project continuing without her friend and colleague.

Chadwick Boseman's beloved tenure in the MCU is currently available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Letitia Wright's comments to Net-A-Porter highlights the human connection that comes with creating Marvel blockbusters. While the public sees the finished product on the big screen, these blockbusters are ultimately made by everyday people trying their best. Black Panther's production was a groundbreaker for its Black talent both in front and behind the camera, breaking box office records and earning Oscar attention in the process.

Chadwick Boseman's career was an impressive one, which featured a variety of beloved roles. In addition to his four appearances as T'Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Boseman has played a slew of historical figures in movies like 42, Marshall, and Get On Up. He therefore leaves behind a legacy of work, becoming a real-life hero to countless young moviegoers in the process.

As Letitia Wright mentioned, the feelings are too raw for the cast and crew to think about how moving forward with Black Panther without Chadwick Boseman. Given the massive success of the first film, Ryan Coogler's follow-up seems like an inevitability. But on top of the unknown nature of the film industry amid the pandemic, those who knew the late actor are still very much mourning.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Black Panther as more details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Through her breakout performances in Black Panther and Black Mirror, British actress Letitia Wright has proven herself to be a dynamic young performer with great promise and exceptional potential. Certainly, her standout role in the immensely successful Marvel blockbuster should hopefully book her several high-profile roles in the years to come, and it's very exciting to watch this bright talent rise ever higher. As her star power only continues to grow, let's take this moment to note some interesting facts about the up-and-coming actress. Here's what you should know about Letitia Wright.

Letitia Wright's Influences Include Rihanna, Viola Davis, And Naomie Harris

Like many young performers, Letitia Wright has her idols. When Elle asked the actress about her female role models, she listed musician Rihanna and fashion designer Stella McCartney. Additionally, in a separate interview, Wright also noted that Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, and Michael B. Jordan, her Black Panther co-star, were also acting inspirations. She also revealed to Refinery29 that 2006's Akeelah and the Bee, which gave Keke Palmer her big break in the title role, was the film and performance that persuaded Wright to pursue dramatic arts at a young, impressionable age.

Letitia Wright Won the NAACP Image Award For Outstanding Breakthrough Performance For Her Role In Black Panther

Already on the rise as a young starlet, Letitia Wright's outstanding supporting turn in Black Panther was the actress' calling card for a promising future ahead. In a film filled with great talents, her performance is a radiant standout, filled with wit, humor, and great personality, and the NAACP recognized her work by giving her an Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance. Certainly, this distinction is earned. Even in a film as great as Black Panther, which features strong performances from Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Andy Serkis, and the tragically late Chadwick Boseman, Wright's strong, dynamic character work showcases an exceptionally gifted and personable performer who is destined to provide many great performances in the years to come. Certainly, we're looking forward to seeing what's next.

She Credits Christianity For Helping Her Overcome Depression In Her Early 20s

In her earlier years, as she was coming into her own as a promising up-and-coming actress, Letitia Wright admits that she found herself battling depression. As she explained in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2018, she found herself "in the dark going through so many bad things" in her early 20s and she fought great difficulties while trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, the actress claims she overcame these intensely depressed feelings when she discovered Christianity. Through this practice of devotion, Wright was given a new lease on life and found contentment and joy following one of the darkest chapters of her life. She discovered her practice of faith when she attended a London actors' Bible study meeting. It was at this point that Wright went on an introspective spiritual journey.

She Declined Roles And Took A Break From Acting To Focus On Her Faith

While many young and talented performers work hard to put themselves out there and make a name for themselves in their early 20s, Letitia Wright's journey through Christianity ultimately came first. While she was proving herself to be a dynamic and distinguished actress, she admitted in an interview with This Morning that she turned down some promising roles to focus inward and examine and strengthen her faith and her commitments to God.

This devotion to faith is surprising, but considering how valuable Wright found it during her darkest period, she clearly values her relationship with God over her career ambitions. Through this period of reflection through religion, Wright appears to be more confident and content with herself, her desires in life, and her goals moving forward. Here's what she said in this interview (via Relevant Magazine):

At 15, She Emailed The Biggest Agencies In The World Asking To Represent Her … And It Worked

It's not easy to get your foot in the door. Working your way into the entertainment industry is tough business, and it requires a lot of persistence and fortitude in addition to talent to make it into the competitive and demanding world of professional acting. At 15, with limited resources at her disposal, Letitia Wright needed to get her name out there if she wanted to excel as an actress, but she didn't have the means to hire an agent or a manager. She had to be resourceful and demonstrate her exceptionalism in less cost-heavy ways. What did she do? She wrote a lot of emails. Specifically, she told W Magazine that she emailed the biggest casting directors, promoting herself and hoping to garner the attention of some notable talent-seekers. Sure enough, it actually worked.

Letitia Wright Wants To Create Space For Black Women To Succeed in The Film Industry

As a prominent young Black actress, Letitia Wright understands the personal and historic significance of her ongoing fame and success. As she continues to find more acclaim and personal triumphs, she wants to make sure these opportunities continue to be found for Black performers in the industry. In an interview with Elle (via Daily Mail), Wright discussed the foundation that needs to be build and continued being built for Black entertainers in the years ahead. And she wants to do her part to "create space" and allow Black artists to flourish in their respective mediums. Here's what she said:

Letitia Wright Improvised One of Black Panther’s Best Lines

There are several quotable lines sprinkled throughout Black Panther, though Letitia Wright gets one of the best ones. Towards the third act, when T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) brings Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) to Wright's Shuri to be healed, the actress quips, "Great! Another broken white boy for us to fix!" It's a very punchy, funny line, and according to the actress, it was actually her suggestion. As she admitted in an interview with Yahoo, she asked director Ryan Coogler if she could throw that line into the mix. Thankfully, Coogler thought it was "perfect" and told her to say it. It was a good thing he did, too. This line is easily among the film's most memorable and enjoyable, and it helps make Wright's entertaining character even more charming and endearing that she already was during the film's earlier moments.

She Is Already Getting Great Reviews For Her Performance In Steve McQueen’s Upcoming Miniseries, Small Axe

The future is looking bright for Letitia Wright. In addition to all the exciting roles lined up in her future, including the upcoming Hold Back the Stars with John Boyega, she's slated to star in Steve McQueen's highly-praised mini-series, Small Axe, which hits Amazon Prime on November 20th. In the first installment, titled Mangrove, Wright plays Altheia Jones-LeCointe, who became a leader of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s and 1970s. This introductory film premiered at the New York Film Festival prior to its streaming debut, and this performance was hailed as "great" and "powerful" by critics who've seen the movie. These reviews certainly aren't surprising. Best known for Shame, Widows, and 12 Years a Slave, McQueen is one of our great contemporary directors, and he gave Wright a great opportunity to shine.

Do you love Letitia Wright? Are you looking forward to seeing what's next from the Black Panther actress? Let us know in the comment section!

The death of Chadwick Boseman shocked millions of fans around the world, but beyond that, it shocked a lot of people close to the actor, who reportedly had no idea that he had spent four years fighting cancer. Many of them have used social media to get their feelings on this tragic event out into the world, but Letitia Wright, who played sister Shuri to Boseman's T'Challa in Black Panther, has released her own eulogy for the actor, which may be the most beautiful thing to come out of this terrible event.

Letitia Wright posted a video to Instagram where she talks about her love for Chadwick Boseman and the loss she is feeling now that he is gone. It's almost meditative, which may be the best way to deal with the emotions that Chadwick Boseman's friends and family are certainly dealing with right now. Check out the full video below.

The Instagram video is mostly Letitia Wright's voice speaking over peaceful images of the natural world. The first 30 seconds is just images and music before Wright even begins speaking. When she does, however, it becomes quite clear that she's speaking from the heart. She talks about the broader pain of losing Boseman, but also gets personal, mentioning that her recent attempts to connect with the actor had gone unanswered and that she now realizes why...

Most fans were shocked to learn of Chadwick Boseman's death. The fact that the actor had been dealing with cancer was not widely known, and we're beginning to see that part of the reason that the secret did not leak is that Boseman never told people that we might have expected would know. Those at Marvel Studios and his co-stars that he was close with, like Letitia Wright, had no idea.

Chadwick Boseman is not mentioned by name, and only at the end of the video, after Letitia Wright has stopped speaking, do we see pictures of the man himself. The video is dedicated "for my brother" and it seems that familial relationship really did extend beyond the Marvel movie screen for these two...

It's heartbreaking for fans that Chadwick Boseman is gone but it's equally painful to see the people who actually knew him and loved him hurting. Boseman certainly left a mark on the world that will likely never be forgotten.

It may be one of the most astonishingly successful and culturally important films in recent memory, but there is still plenty that even the biggest fans of Black Panther may have yet to learn. What went on behind the scenes of the 18th installment in the MCU is arguably just as fascinating as what happened on screen.

Director Ryan Coogler’s groundbreaking 2018 film, which earned more than $1 billion worldwide and became the first superhero movie to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, stars Chadwick Boseman in the title role, Wakanda’s royal leader and protector T’Challa. However, do you know which famous actor had previously sought out to play the lead of Black Panther?

You can learn the answer very soon, but that is not all. The following is a collection of 12 interesting facts about Black Panther that might change the way you look at this cinematic milestone forever.

Wesley Snipes Wanted To Play The Lead In Black Panther

Among those considered to play T'Challa before Chadwick Boseman's casting were Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Mackie, and Djimon Honsou (who actually did voice the role in a 2010 animated miniseries). However, long before any of them were considered and even before the dawn of the MCU, Wesley Snipes was gunning to star in a 1990s Black Panther adaptation pitched by John Singleton that was eventually scrapped. On the bright side, Snipes went on to receive Marvel glory as the first actor play vampire hunter Blade, and has vocally expressed his approval of Ryan Coogler's film.

Black Panther's Lupita Nyong’o And Winston Duke Previously Bonded Over Marvel Movies

Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong'o and Winston Duke actually knew each other years before playing Wakandan natives Nakia and M'Baku, having met while studying theatre at Yale. Coincidentally, as Duke recalled in a 2018 interview with Esquire, the young aspiring actors saw The Avengers together in 2012, inciting them to fantasize about, one day, starring in a film just as popular Joss Whedon's once groundbreaking MCU crossover event. Of course, Black Panther eventually became just one of several blockbusters they are each known for today, such as Jordan Peele's 2019 thriller Us, in which the longtime friends played spouses and their respective doppelgängers.

Danai Gurira Already Knew Many Of Her Black Panther Co-Stars

Winston Duke and Lupita Nyong’o are not the only previously associated Black Panther stars, and that's not even counting director Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan's frequent collaborations. In fact, you might win the longest streak in a game of "Six Degrees" with Okoye actress Danai Gurira, who, during a 2019 appearance on The Tonight Show, recounted living with Sterling K. Brown in grad school and seeing Nyong’o lead a 2016 production of her play, Eclipsed, not realizing either of them had been cast in the Marvel movie at the time until Coogler attended a performance. What's even crazier than that is Letita Wright (Shuri) starred in Nyong'o's role in the same play a year earlier.

Black Panther’s Production Designer Wrote A “Bible” Of Wakandan History

In 2019, Hannah Beachler became the first black nominee and winner of the Academy Award for Production Design on Black Panther, an honor she shared with her co-designer Jay Hart. The creation of Wakanda's authentic and strikingly lived-in appearance stemmed from her drawing up a 515-page book of historical anecdotes and visual concepts which she referred to, in an interview with NPR, as her "bible." Beachler used this same method when previously working with Ryan Coogler on the production design for the brutal biopic Fruitvale Station and boxing film Creed.

Black Panther Composer Ludwig Göransson Traveled To South Africa For Inspiration

Also one to strive for authenticity is Ludwig Göransson, another frequent collaborator of Ryan Coogler's and winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Original Score for Black Panther. In an effort to capture the essential sound of Wakanda, an African country that only exists in the Marvel universe, the Swedish composer traveled to South Africa to study its traditional stylings of music to better reflect that in the film's score. He recounts the experience in an interview with Pitchfork, during which he also talks about observing Kendrick Lamar's work on Black Panther's original tracks, including the Oscar-nominated "All the Stars," and co-producing with Childish Gambino, otherwise known as fellow Marvel star Donald Glover.

Three Out Of Five Wakandans Are Deliberately Barefoot in Black Panther

Ruth E. Carter also earned an Academy Award for her work as the costume designer for Black Panther, making her the first black person to win the category. In addition to T'Challa's sleeker suit design, Carter received praised especially for Wakanda's fashion sense, which possesses an almost futuristic feel while still honoring styles traditional to Africa (such as choosing certain color schemes associated with real tribes), as she explained to Collider. This same attention to authentic detail informed the decision to make three out of every five Wakandan natives appear barefoot, considering the fictional country's climate.

T’Chaka Actor John Kani’s Real Son Plays His Young Self In Black Panther

Filming Black Panther got to be a true family affair for John Kani, who plays T'Challa's late father and former Wakandan king, T'Chaka. To play his younger self in the film's prologue, set in 1992 Oakland, Kani's actual son, Atandwa Kani, was enlisted to star opposite Sterling K. Brown and a young Zuri, played by Denzel Whitaker. Who, ironically, is not related to Forest Whitaker, who plays the older, modern day version of the character.

Wakandans Speak An Actual Language In Black Panther

Speaking of John Kani, the actor was actually instrumental in Marvel Studios' decision that Xhosa, a true African language, would be adopted as the official language of Wakanda in Black Panther, as MTV reports. In fact, the decision dates back to the filming of 2016 Captain America: Civil War, in which Kani first appeared as T'Chaka. The actor taught the language to his onscreen son, Chadwick Boseman, for a scene in which they exchange words in their native tongue.

Denzel Washington Inspired Killmonger’s Scarring In Black Panther

Another veteran actor who was influential to one of the more memorable elements of Black Panther is Denzel Washington, but his inspiration was more indirect. In 2019, at an AFI Life Achievement Gala honoring Washington, Michael B. Jordan presented a story in which he learned that the actor wore scars on his back while filming Civil War drama Glory for the entirety of the shoot, even when they weren't visible, to better inform his Oscar-winning performance. Jordan added that he adopted the same method with Erik Killmonger's self-inflicted scarring to maintain the character's raw, emotional intensity throughout his stunning portrayal of the tyrannical, yet empathic antagonist.

Michael B. Jordan Went A Little Too Method On The Set Of Black Panther

If you were ever seeking another reason to empathize with Michael B. Jordan's role in Black Panther, just consider the emotional toll portraying Erik Killmonger ended up having on him. In a conversation with Oprah Winfrey, the actor revealed that to stay in the mindset of the Wakandan descendent and victim of a tragic, lonely childhood, he choose to keep his distance on set. It was an emotionally draining routine that seemed to funnel into his personal life. Jordan eventually sough therapy to disconnect himself from his otherwise winning performance in the Marvel movie, so here's hoping that he has an easier time if Killmonger is to be resurrected in a sequel.

Martin Freeman’s Black Panther Character Was Inspired By Sitcom Stars

In Black Panther, Everett Ross (who, like T'Challa, first appeared in Captain America: Civil War) is actually a vast departure from his comic book iteration, particularly for how the film portrays him as more of an ally than a nosy antagonist. However, even in British actor Martin Freeman's performance, it is easy to see what unlikely characters Marvel writer Christopher Priest took inspiration from to create the CIA agent. In an interview with Elite Daily, Priest referred to Ross as combination of Friends' Chandler Bing (played by Matthew Perry) and Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox's breakout role from Family Ties).

Black Panther Stars Filmed A No-Phones PSA For Alamo Drafthouse

It seems that Chadwick Boseman loves playing T'Challa enough to prolong the character's persona outside of the MCU, and even with just an appearance as himself. This is evident from a PSA that he and co-star Letitia Wright filmed for the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater chain to play at screenings of Black Panther. The first part of the spot sees Boseman boasting an intimidating look to keep the audience off their phones as the movie plays, prompting Wright to explain that he cannot watch them for the entirety of the film, only to prove her wrong in the second part of the PSA, appearing after the film, in which the T'Challa actor exclaims that he is "still watching!"

Be sure to check back for more information and updates on Black Panther and other future MCU endeavors, as well as more behind-the-scenes trivia about your favorite movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

It's a very exciting week for Marvel fans, as Avengers: Endgame is finally arriving in theaters. It's been a long year of waiting since Infinity War hit theaters, and shocked moviegoers by having Thanos win over the good guys. Audiences were left to watch in horror as countless characters faded to dust before our eyes, in a twist ending no one was expecting.

But there were a few characters whose fate was left vague, as they weren't seen being dusted in the Wakandan field. Chief among them is T'Challa's sister Shuri, playing by Letitia Wright. Shuri was confirmed to be dusted when Endgame's character posters hit the internet, leaving fans disappointed about the genius princess. It turns out that Wright found out about Shuri the same way, recently saying:

Same, Letitia Wright. Same.

Letitia Wright's comments to Marvel Entertainment come from the Avengers: Endgame purple carpet at last night's premiere. And they're likely going to surprise many fans, who thought that the actors at least knew whether they lived or died. But Wright was kept in the dark like everyone else, which just shows how tight security is at Marvel Studios. Especially when it comes to Endgame.

When we last saw Shuri, she was attempting to separate Vision's consciousness from the Mind Stone. She warned it wold be a long process, but the Black Order brought massive forces that eventually put Shuri in the fray. She briefly faced off against Corvus Glaive with her Gauntlets, before he and Vision came to blows and flew out the window. Letitia Wright's character wasn't seen again, and wasn't shown turning to dust alongside the rest of the Avengers and Guardians.

Related: Infinity War Theory Claims Shuri Might Have Saved Vision

The first Avengers: Endgame trailer showed Shuri among the fallen characters, but some fans thought this might be a red herring. The Russo Brothers have already admitted to putting fake footage into trailers, allowing moviegoers to be truly surprised by the film's contents. But once the movie's character posters arrived last month, Shuri's fate was sealed. She was one of the many characters to get a black and white poster, meaning she was dusted as a result of The Decimation

With both Shuri and T'Challa gone, Wakanda is without a ruler. What happened to the technologically advanced society after half the population vanished?

Answers will come when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Every Marvel fan has that one victim of Thanos’s Decimation that they wish had survived. Watching our favorite MCU characters fading away into a cloud of ash was a pretty devastating event, and every time it’s brought up, it feels like a freshly opened wound in our hearts. And just when you thought it was all said and done with the greatest Marvel happening since the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D., there was a new wrinkle added to the already high toll of emotional damages. As it turns out, Shuri -- sister of King T’Challa and tech guru extraordinaire of Wakanda -- was apparently part of the casualties of that fateful day.

While presumed to be alive at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, the trailers for Avengers: Endgame hit with the implication that one of our favorite Marvel geniuses was dusted off camera. At first, this was dismissed as one of those shots that the folks in charge love to include, so as to throw off fans trying to guess what’s going to happen in the actual film. But by time the posters for Avengers: Endgame hit, Shuri was a confirmed kill with her visage shown in the same black and white quality all the other fallen heroes took in their posters. Which not only has us mad, it has us questioning why in the hell Avengers: Infinity War would let such a huge death happen off screen.

The princess of Wakanda’s actual fate has always been considered up in the air -- even Angela Bassett herself seemed to think that Shuri, as well as her character Ramonda, had survived the ending of Avengers: Infinity War. It’s a conclusion we previously jumped to as well, as the film wasn’t shy about killing off a mass of characters that occupied both the front and center as well as the supporting rung of the series. Seeing everyone from Bucky Barnes to Groot biting the dust, it didn’t feel like they’d leave that important of a character off of the chopping block in the first half of this two part story. If she had done less to effect the outcome of the story, then maybe not including Shuri would have made sense. But, as we saw in her final recorded moments of activity in Avengers: Infinity War, her importance to the overall plot can’t be overstated.

Shuri’s big move in Avengers: Infinity War was all about the potential solution to save Vision from being dependent on the Soul Stone to live. Her last known location was in her lab in Wakanda, as Shuri was scrambling to finish her work, and it was even theorized that she possibly found a way to save Vision in order to resurrect him, sans the Infinity Stone that gave him life. Of course, Corvus Glaive burst into her lab during what looked like some very crucial stages of that process, and the question of whether or not she succeeded was left as open ended as whether she’d survived or not.

And yet, as we saw T’Challa disappear in front of Okoye during Avengers: Infinity War, we didn’t get such a scene with Shuri. Which is rather interesting, considering that not only is Danai Gurira's character a crucial survivor in Avengers: Endgame’s story, she was also the last person we saw with Shuri as they fought off Corvus Glaive in the Wakandan labs. You’d think those two would want to stick together, not only to up the odds of survival, but also to get Shuri over to her brother, so that the three could mount a mutual defense against Thanos and his goons. Even if she still died, it would have been on camera, she would have gone out fighting, and Okoye would be even more galvanized to carry on the good fight in Avengers: Endgame.

So why didn’t they show both children of Wakanda’s royal bloodline dusting away in Avengers: Infinity War? Well, whether they knew it was happening or not, this could have been Marvel’s own way of building in a trap door in case one particular party couldn’t be involved. Just as surprising as Shuri’s death was the announcement that Avengers: Endgame would include Valkyrie in the roster of heroes that survived The Decimation. So if Tessa Thompson’s schedule wouldn’t allow her to participate, then Letitia Wright might have been asked to come back as Shuri to balance the playing field. But as Valkyrie is now officially spared, someone had to take her place on the other side of the MCU wind, and that unlucky soul was Shuri. It may not be the best reason for omitting the character, but it plays by the rules of The Decimation, and feels like a natural fit.

Even with The Decimation requiring half of the Marvel Cinematic Universe be wiped out, wasn’t there another character that could have disappeared, allowing Shuri to remain? It’s useless at this point, as not only is her character expected to make a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Endgame, she’ll probably be back for further adventures in the Black Panther franchise, which seems like a shoo-in for a Phase 4 release date.

Obviously, the decision was part of a meticulous plan to end The Infinity Saga, and we’re not arguing with that fact. But even with the comfort that comes when thinking of the obvious return of the fallen from Avengers: Infinity War, it still doesn’t sit well that the proper time and space to grieve that character’s death wasn’t given to the audience members who latched onto and/or identified with Shuri at this stage of the game.

Here’s hoping we get some sort of real answers as to why this decision was made when Avengers: Endgame potentially provides closure on these queries and more on April 26th. If you’re looking to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you can take a look at what we have so far in our guide for upcoming Marvel release dates, which will be updated as soon as any new information about Phase 4 comes through.

For months, the fate of Letitia Wright's Shuri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a mystery. Despite having a prominent role in Avengers: Infinity War, the blockbuster never showed audiences what happened to the character after Thanos snapped his fingers with the completed Infinity Gauntlet, so we were all left in the dark regarding how she fared during The Decimation.

Admittedly the first trailer for Avengers: Endgame released in December 2018 did provide us with a solid lead - showing her on a monitor as being among the world's dead heroes - but now it looks like we have official confirmation courtesy of the new movie's character posters: Shuri got dusted.

Earlier today Marvel Studios released a grand total of 32 new one-sheets for Avengers: Endgame, and during the rollout it wasn't hard to discover a pattern: all of the living characters are featured in color, and all of the dead ones are in black-and-white. There were a few exciting surprises mixed in, such as revelations regarding Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Benedict Wong's Wong, and Jon Favreau's Happy Hogan (all revealed to be alive), but the artwork also seems to confirm that Shuri was one of Thanos' many, many victims.

This isn't really a surprise for those who took the information provided in the first Avengers: Endgame trailer at face value, but it's understandable why some people questioned the preview's credulity. After all, Shuri's face was featured right next to a picture of Paul Rudd's Scott Lang on the aforementioned monitor, and the very end of that footage showed Scott very much alive and at the front door of the Avengers facility. Also, Joe and Anthony Russo have confirmed that marketing material has been doctored to protect certain elements of the movie, so who knows what we can really trust?

All that being said, there actually was good reason to believe when the first trailer said that Shuri was counted among the Decimated. After all, her situation at the time of the Thanos snap was a lot different than Scott Lang's. None of the heroes specifically knew where Scott was when half of life in the universe was eliminated, so when he didn't turn up after the event it was just assumed that he was dusted (the reality actually being that he was trapped in the Quantum Realm). Shuri, on the other hand, was present in Wakanda with the Avengers battling against the Black Order and their Outriders, so the team knew exactly where she should have been... and clearly she wasn't there.

This is obviously a bummer, as Shuri is one of the most exciting new characters featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and audiences are hungry to see more of her in big screen adventures. I guess this just means that fans will be rooting that much harder that the heroes will somehow be able to reverse the events of Avengers: Infinity War and save the fallen.

As of today we now just have one month to wait for the arrival of Avengers: Endgame, and excitement is near the point of boiling over. Obviously we'll been covering the hell out of it here on CinemaBlend for the next few weeks, so stay tuned as we get closer and closer.

For Letitia Wright, nothing will be quite the same after Black Panther. Since the towering success of the Marvel film earlier this year, the 25-year-old actress is the distinct face of comic book character Shuri. After auditioning to be the badass, super-smart teenager, Wright embodies well in the MCU, she already had a good feeling about her chances of scoring the role. In her words:

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Letitia Wright talked about the life-changing moment. She spoke of her confidence in nabbing the part to her agent Femi Oguns, who founded her college, the London Identity School of Acting, which aims to foster diverse talent. Oguns also represents other breakout stars, including Star Wars' John Boyega and Bad Times at the El Royale lead Cynthia Erivo. The actress likely auditioned beside a lot of other young hopefuls hoping to be a part of the MCU or just catch a big break.

The young actress has spoken out before about the important of faith to her career. Letitia Wright struggled with depression just as she was starting to get calls for more high-profile roles. To focus on finding her balance again, Wright even turned down a movie opposite Nicole Kidman prior to saying yes to Black Panther. While many actors are taught under the mindset of taking anything you can get, Wright has been autonomous in her short career, picking up roles that speak to her personally. Wright also told THR:

With Black Panther, Letitia Wright felt the power of the film before reading the story. She has said that she knew it was going to be a special project that would represent women well early in the process. Wright is frequently getting approached by Black Panther fans who discuss the importance of her character in the film. Shuri is an equal to that of her superhero brother T'Challa, with incredible abilities of her own to bring to the table.

When Letitia Wright signed on to be Shuri for the Black Panther, it was just the beginning of the character's story on the big screen. She reprised her role in this summer's Avengers: Infinity War and will likely find a place in Avengers 4 and the upcoming Black Panther 2, with director Ryan Coogler returning to direct the latter.

The actress continues to be picky about her roles, as she is only set to star in Black Panther co-star Danai Gurira's play The Convert on a London stage starting in December. The grounded actress can definitely afford to so early in her career since she dazzled on screen as Shuri.