Earlier this year, outlets reported that Letitia Wright, star of the upcoming Black Panther sequel officially titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was injured using a stunt rig while filming in Boston last summer and production would take a brief hiatus.
Deadline reported that the break would now last until early 2022 as the injuries the actress suffered, which were described as a shoulder fracture and a concussion, were more serious than originally thought.
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, and Nate Moore sent a letter to those involved in the film, explaining the hiatus of the Black Panther sequel.
“We’ve adjusted our production schedule so she has the time she needs to heal, but there’s only so much we can do without Shuri,” the note said. “We also want to thank Letitia for everything she’s doing to get back to the set—we know how much she loves this role, how tough it’s been for her to be away, and how hard she’s working to recover as quickly as she safely can. We are eagerly awaiting her return and we know we will all come back stronger together.”
Of course, with the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther sequel has a great deal of significance to the studio and fans.
Marvel producer Nate Moore spoke to Comicbook.com’s Phase Zero about building on that legacy.
“I think this movie has different sort of pressure on it, obviously, with the loss of Chadwick, which was unexpected and unprecedented in a way narratively, to figure out how to deal with,” Moore told them. “So beyond, ‘Hey, we want to make a big, fun time,’ and people of the first movie, it’s how do we sort of do right by his legacy and tell a story that isn’t exploitative, which we would never, ever do, but builds on the things that he loved about the property and builds on the things that he brought to the property in a way that is enjoyable, feels real, feels earned, feels organic. Because I think we’re going to see the movie in two lenses, pure entertainment, but also cathartic. And we have to be conscious of both of those lenses as we’re making it.”
With the Black Panther sequel being forced to postpone production until January, it’s unclear if the movie will be pushed back in the Marvel Studios slate of films. One thing’s for sure, the studio is eager to release the follow-up to one of its biggest blockbusters with Letitia Wright.
“We are all focused on finishing the movie with excellence, honoring the memory of our dear brother Chadwick in the process,” the trio wrote. “We are thrilled to share Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with the world, confident that the challenges that we have overcome together as a team will make the film even more impactful.”
