Fans are wondering what’s in store for the future of the Black Panther franchise following a rumor that actor Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri in the forthcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, doesn’t want to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her unwillingness to get vaccinated is said to be her reason for walking away from a massive franchise.
We’ll say right off the bat that, as of right now, this claim can categorically be labeled as a rumor since it originates from an anonymous “trusted and proven inside source” via the publication Giant Freakin Robot.
The report explained that Disney has a vaccine mandate for future productions, but this did not apply to the production of Wakanda Forever because production was already underway.
Wright herself has not disclosed her vaccination status publicly, but a previous report last month from The Hollywood Reporter claimed she isn’t. The report went on to say the actor not being vaccinated against the coronavirus may disrupt filming of the movie due to CDC travel restrictions. The production for the film halted last month and will resume early next year, with Wright currently recovering from an injury in London.
Regardless of whether this latest news is true, Wright doesn’t want to return to the MCU after Wakanda Forever. Fans on Twitter are giving their hot takes over who should replace the actor to play Shuri.
Shaina West, who appeared in this year’s Black Widow, was one fan’s pitch.
A self-described pop culture writer even pitched herself for the role, which is pretty bold but admirable.
Another Twitter user even pitched Marssai Martin, the child actor known for her role as Diane Johnson in Black-ish and the youngest ever movie producer with the 2019 comedy that she also starred in, Little.
Still, another user suggested If Beale Street Could Talk‘s Kiki Layne as the right replacement, writing, “If Kevin Feige has to make that decision, then she should be the first actress that he calls.”
Though she publicly denies being against the vaccine, Wright came under fire late last year for sharing a video on Twitter questioning its safety, causing many fans to rally for a replacement every now and then.
Should Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s production go off without a hitch from here on out, the movie should be hitting theaters on Nov. 11, 2022.
