Potential spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever below
Chadwick Boseman is gone, but his legacy still lives in the characters he portrayed, especially in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After he passed away, in honor of Boseman, Marvel Studios decided not to recast the role and instead pass on the mantle of Black Panther to another character who has value in Wakandan culture and governance. Per the new trailers, we will see a female character, possibly Shuri, taking on the role of Wakanda’s protector.
According to director Ryan Coogler, Chadwick Boseman was a huge inspiration for him to make such a choice. Coogler explained how Chadwick believed in pushing things forward and moving in the right direction. And this lesson inspired him to take a step forward in the story of Black Panther.
Speaking to Deadline, Coogler said:
It's complicated, you know. What I will say is, Chadwick was all about pushing things forward while being aware of what took place behind him. That concept is one of the things that I'll always hold in terms of lessons from him. And he was also so so so so brilliant at understanding moments and the moment he was in.
He added that with this lesson, he has tried to honor Chadwick in this movie, which tells a story that will move Wakanda forward while knowing what Chadwick and T’Challa left behind.
So that's why I was trying to channel him in terms of going through this process, understanding that we had to keep moving forward even though we lost him in a physical sense. He was a giant man, a giant of a man, the screen couldn't contain him. To watch his movies is to only know a piece of him. We felt so fortunate to know the whole guy, and we tried to honor him on this one.
Ryan Coogler had earlier stated that the decision to pass the mantle to a female character was not a discussion about gender roles. He said that it was an organic decision as it made sense. The people around him, Shuri, Nakia, and Okoye, have been strong female role models who shared the same sense of duty as T’Challa and were most affected by his passing. Hence, it was only logical to pass the mantle of Black Panther to a female character.
Why it Makes Sense for Shuri to Become Black Panther?
Though it’s not officially revealed, Shuri may be the new Black Panther. And her donning the suit makes more sense. Shuri is T’Challa’s sister and a royal. She is next in line to take on the mantle after father and brother. Yes, other royals can challenge her to the throne and the mantle for Black Panther, but it’s unlikely that the loyal royal families of Wakanda will go against the Kin T’Chaka’s family. Furthermore, even in the comics, Shuri does get to become Black Panther after T’Challa goes into a coma. Later, they become Wakanda protectors, with two Black Panthers serving together for the first time.
It’s possible that in the film, Shuri will have to step forward after T’Challa passes away and protect the nation against Talocan’s Namor. Letitia Wright is also leading the cast this time which further solidifies the hints of her being the new Panther of the MCU. And this idea would resonate with Chadwick’s understanding of moving forward, as, in time, T’Challa would have to pass on the mantle in the MCU.
Who is the new Black Panther? We’ll find out soon enough when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases on November 11, 2022.