Is Letitia Wright OK? 'Black Panther' sequel stunt lands actress in hospital
Filming on 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' suffered a small hiccup after actress Letitia Wright suffered an on-set accident, according to reports. The incident occurred as the film was shooting in Boston on August 25, a spokesperson for Marvel confirmed. Details about the incident are scarce, but it reportedly won't change the filming schedule. The movie will reportedly continue production with a targeted release date of July 8, 2022.
The Guyanese-born British actress returns to portray Shuri in the sequel to the highly successful 'Black Panther', but there was a period when that seemed in doubt. As we reported on in July this year, there were rumors Wright would be dropped from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Those rumors emerged after Michaela Coel was reported to join the cast of 'Wakanda Forever', allegedly to replace Wright. The rumors date back to December 2020, after Wright deleted her social media accounts in response to her anti-vaccine stance.
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Given the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, Wright's character Shuri is expected to have a major role in the sequel, with some fans calling on her to take up the mantle of the Black Panther, as she does in the comics. As with all things Marvel, the plot is being guarded very closely, so we won't know if that is true. But we do know that she's definitely in the sequel and thankfully hasn't suffered the ire of studio bosses for her controversial stance on vaccines.
Is Letitia Wright ok?
According to reports, Wright does not seem to have been seriously affected by the accident. "Letitia Wright sustained minor injuries today while filming a stunt for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She is currently receiving care in a local hospital and is expected to be released soon," a spokesperson told Variety. Beyond that brief statement, no information was provided. It's unclear what exactly happened, and where Wright got injured.
Page Six reported that the accident involved a stunt rig. Given the exceptionally high safety standards in Hollywood, fans can rest easy that the accident is not very serious. It appears Wright should be back "soon", but just how soon, we don't know. If the filming schedule is not impacted, then it means she should be released in a day or two and back on set. While Wright's injury occurred in Boston, most of the filming is taking place in Atlanta, where multiple Marvel films have been shot.
Earlier, set photos from the Boston set revealed Wright and co-star Danai Gurira. Wright was seen rocking a completely new hairstyle, which could indicate a change in roles for Shuri. Will she take on the mantle of Black Panther? We won't know until the trailer comes out. Hopefully, Marvel will be able to keep it a closer secret than the trailer for 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'.
'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' is being directed by Ryan Coogler, who also directed the first movie. Along with Wright and Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba, and Angela Bassett will reprise their roles from earlier films. Dominique Thorne, who plays Ironheart in an upcoming TV show is expected to cameo in the film, and Michaela Coel has also been cast in an unknown role.