Actress Letitia Wright has broken her silence on the possibility of appearing in the next installment of the Black Panther franchise without Chadwick Boseman. The 43-year-old star who played King T’Challa died in August at the age of 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
In a wide-ranging interview with Net-A-Porter, Wright said, “We’re just still mourning Chad, so it’s not something I even want to think about.”
“The thought of doing it without him is kinda strange,” she admitted. “We’re just grieving at the moment, so it’s trying to find the light in the midst of it.”
Fans had been looking forward to Black Panther 2, a sequel of the film, slated for 2022.
Wright confirmed that while she is still grieving her on-screen big brother, she has had the support of many film industry veterans, including fellow U.K. actors John Boyega and Naomie Harris.
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Boseman’s passing came as a shock to many. His battle with cancer had been kept extremely quiet.
He has been celebrated by many stars, as well as Marvel Studios and its parent company, Disney, which erected a mural called “King Chad” in his honor at Downtown Disney in Los Angeles.
The mural features Boseman making the Wakanda salute with a little boy who is suffering from cancer. It was created by Nikkolas Smith, a Hollywood movie illustrator and children’s book author from Texas.
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In their statement about the actor’s passing, Marvel Studios wrote, “Our hearts are broken and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest In Peace.”
Black Panther is in the top five of the highest-grossing superhero films of all time.
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, had previously stated that the company had a “pretty solid direction on where we want to head with the second one.” However, no further details have been announced.
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Released in 2018, Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon that energized African Americans. The Wakanda salute, crossed arms folded across the chest, has become a symbol of strength.
Since Boseman’s death, fans have called for Wright’s character, Shuri, to become the next star of the franchise.
Feige told Entertainment Weekly that Boseman was “as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages.”
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