One of the breakout stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been Black Panther‘s Shuri. Genius-level intellect, princess of Wakanda, and now the keeper of the Black Panther mantle, the character has come a long way since we first met her in 2018. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had Shuri front and center as she grieved her brother’s passing and figured out how to forge her own future, but the actress who plays Shuri, Letitia Wright, isn’t quite sure what that future holds for her.
The arc for the character from Black Panther to Wakanda Forever was massive, transforming from the happy, bouncing, witty younger sister of T’Challa who reveled in her technological passions to the somber, torn, angry character for whom progress had become all-consuming after not even her skills could save her brother. Wakanda Forever was a phenomenal portrayal of grief and moving on in memory of Chadwick Boseman. Wright brought tremendous talent to her account of Shuri at this challenging point in her life, something that was not too difficult for the actress given that she, too, was grieving.
By the film’s end, Shuri becomes the Black Panther but, unlike her brother, does not plan to rule Wakanda. She sets off on her own journey, though no one, not even Wright, knows where that will take her. Speaking to Comicbook.com at the press junket for her most recent movie, Surrounded, the actress was asked if she has been told when her character will show up again; Wright responded,
“No, I haven’t. I will know as soon as you know.”
Though no third installment of the Black Panther franchise has been confirmed, there are strong hints that it is on the table. We will probably see Shuri again, especially in the two Avengers films slated to end the current Multiverse Saga.