'Black Panther 2' is set to start filming in July 2021, and fans are speculating that Letitia Wright could take the lead role
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Darcy Schild
Nov 21, 2020, 23:02 IST
Letitia Wright at the London Film Festival in October 2020; Chadwick Boseman at the American Music Awards in November 2019.Dave J Hogan/Getty Images; Steve Granitz/WireImage
Boseman died in August at age 43 after privately battling colon cancer.
Letitia Wright, who played Boseman's on-screen younger sister, Shuri, may take a "more prominent role" in the sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fans on Twitter are speculating that Wright, 27, could play Boseman's character, T'Challa — the Black Panther — with some describing her potential role as a way to honor the late actor's memory.
Boseman, who played the lead character, T'Challa, in the 2018 film, died on August 28 at age 43. Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, and he notably never spoke publicly about his diagnosis.
News of the updated production timeline for "Black Panther 2," which is projected to be released in 2022, has conjured questions about how the story's main character, T'Challa, will be portrayed.
The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Black Panther" cast members Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, and Angela Bassett are expected to star in the sequel, and that Wright's character, Shuri, "may take on a more prominent role."
On Friday, fans of the Marvel franchise took to Twitter to express excitement at the possibility of Wright taking on a lead role in the movie. Some speculated that she is poised to star as T'Challa, also known as the Black Panther.
Some fans described Wright taking over T'Challa's role — instead of the filmmakers recasting the lead character — as a way of honoring Boseman's memory.
Some "Black Panther" fans also expressed bittersweet emotions, commenting that they are excited at the possibility of the young actress starring in the lead role, but are sad to imagine the movie without Boseman.
"A soul so beautiful, when you walked into a room, there was calm," Wright said in her tribute to Boseman, which she shared on Instagram on September 1. "You always moved with grace and ease. Every time I saw you, the world would be a better place. Words can't describe how I feel, how we all feel, that losing you was forced upon us, to accept this as a new reality. I wish I got to say goodbye."
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