We are now less than a week away from the release of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, and the hype has only continued to build! Box office predictions continue to skyrocket, ticket presales are making all time records, and the film currently has a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In these reviews, many critics have raved the character of Black Panther’s sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright. The character is a teenage genius, and is the leader of the Wakandan Design Group which is responsible for much of the incredible technology of the film, including T’Challa’s vibranium suits. In the comics, Shuri herself donned the suit for a short time and took on the mantle of the Black Panther. Naturally, many fans have wondered if this character arc could happen in the MCU as well. In a recent interview with Variety, Wright was asked about this possibility.
We didn’t talk about it in terms of the future. It was something I feel he was playing with [trying] to set up, but it didn’t happen. Hopefully it does. I’m happy that there’s room to allow Shuri to grow. I wanna sit with her a little bit more. I met the creator of the character Shuri [writer Reginald Hudlin] at the premiere. He said it was perfect, and I said, ‘I hope I can continue to grow more with Shuri, if that’s where the future takes us with Marvel.’ Shuri’s young now, but when she grows into an adult, she’s kind of savage. She’s one of the coolest leaders in the comic books.
Although there are no current plans for Shuri to take on the mantle of the Black Panther, it does seem rather early in the game for this to happen. We only just got introduced to Chadwick Boseman in the role, and if any transition were to happen it would most certainly take place much further down the road. In the meantime, we do get to see her in action in this film alongside an impressive elite group of female warriors known as the Dora Milaje. The upcoming film has been highly praised not only for its representation of African culture, but also for its depiction of its female characters. Expect to see Shuri continue to have a prominent role in the future.
Even if Letitia Wright doesn’t suit up as the protector of Wakanda, many fans have expressed their desire to see her take on another mantle: Ironheart. As a teenager, Shuri is said to be more intelligent than Tony Stark, and she has a unique experience in designing complicated suits. While this would be a departure from the character in the comics (M.I.T student Riri Williams), it could be an interesting way to introduce the concept into the films. Tony Stark is rumored to die in Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers 4, and if this turns out to be true fans will certainly be looking for another character to don the gold and red armor.
Have you bought your tickets for Black Panther yet? What are you doing?! Go buy them now. Would you like to see Shuri as Black Panther or Ironheart? Lets chat below!
Source: Variety
