There’s been a lot of controversy pointed in the direction of Letitia Wright over the last couple of years, but the stinger at the end of the full-length Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer was all it took for a lot of fans to instantly get fully on board with the idea of the actor stepping into Chadwick Boseman’s daunting shoes as the title hero.
As much as her alleged opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints have irritated and annoyed a lot of people, the 28 year-old still put herself through the physical wringer in order to handle the complicated and dangerous stunt work that comes with the territory when you play a major role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her sacrifice looks to have been worth it.
Not only that, but Wright explained to Entertainment Weekly that she wants Shuri’s journey to continue inspiring others around the world, in the same way that it’s been “life-changing” for her in more ways than one.
“We haven’t seen that on a major scale, where there’s a young Black woman who’s a princess, and she’s also a scientist. I have this feeling of pride when a young woman comes up to me and says, “Hey, you made me feel smart in school, and you made me feel like I can be in technology alongside a man, and I feel empowered.’ That has changed my life forever.”
The pressure on not just Wright’s shoulders but the entirety of the Wakanda Forever cast and crew is massive, but if it lives up to what we’ve seen and heard from everyone involved so far, then it’s shaping up to be a worthy successor to one of the MCU’s very best entries.