‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Will Resume Production as Letitia Wright Returns — Will the Delay Impact the Sequel’s Release Date?
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has faced a series of hiccups since entering production — partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because of Letitia Wright’s recent set injury. However, it seems the Marvel sequel is resuming filming with a few changes to boot. Will the delay impact Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s release date?
Letitia Wright returns, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ resumes filming
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever already faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle following Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing in 2020. Marvel Studios needed to find a way to move forward without T’Challa, and it opted for a story centered on the other major characters from Black Panther.
Even after that difficult decision was made, the movie faced additional challenges. COVID-19 complicated production, and Letitia Wright — who many fans suspect will take up the Black Panther mantle as Shuri — suffered a set injury that kept her out of work for months. Because of her absence, filming was paused in November 2021.
Fortunately, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed on Jan. 14 that production will pick back up during the second half of January. Wright will return to film in Atlanta, Ga., where the goal is to shoot for another month. Reportedly, filming would have resumed sooner, but several cast and crew members were isolating after testing positive for COVID-19.
Navigating the virus will no doubt continue to be a challenge as production continues. However, this update is promising, especially as we get closer to the film’s release date.
Winston Duke will reportedly play a bigger role
In addition to the news about production resuming, fans received another update about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It seems Winston Duke, who plays M’Baku in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has renegotiated his contract. According to THR, sources claim that Duke secured a pay boost and an “expanded role” in the film.
Outside of seeing more of M’Baku, it’s unclear what this means for the sequel. Some fans are questioning whether Shuri will be the one to continue T’Challa’s legacy after all.
It seems late in the game to push M’Baku into that role. But even if he doesn’t become the franchise’s primary hero, it’ll be nice to see the character in the spotlight. And with Ryan Coogler working on a Disney+ series, viewers could see more of him in the future.
For now, they’ll have to wait until Wakanda Forever arrives to learn more about Marvel’s plans for the character. When can fans expect the Black Panther sequel?
Will the delays impact ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s release date?
Although Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has faced a bumpy road since entering production, it seems the movie’s release date won’t be affected.
Marvel insiders told THR that the studio still intends to drop the film in November 2022. Given how many times Marvel Studios has had to rework its release schedule since the pandemic began, that’s positive news. In fact, Wakanda Forever was originally supposed to debut in June, so the film’s arrival has been pushed back before.
Barring any other unforeseen issues, it seems fans will be back in Wakanda by the end of this year. Hopefully, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will prove worth the wait. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 11, 2022.
