Letitia Wright and her controversial anti-vaccination sentiments have become a major talking point ahead of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but what's the full story, and what does her MCU future hold? Following the resounding critical and commercial success of 2018's Black Panther, the inevitable sequel was immediately positioned among Marvel's most hotly anticipated follow-ups. A year on from Black Panther 2's official announcement, however, the man who brought T'Challa to life, Chadwick Boseman, tragically passed away after a private battle with colon cancer. Marvel later confirmed Black Panther 2 would continue production, but Boseman would not be recast.
In remembering its late star, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will elevate supporting members of the original cast, and this includes Letitia Wright. T'Challa's little sister and Wakanda's foremost scientific genius, MCU fans immediately took Shuri to their hearts, enjoying both her comedic barbs (she calls them sneakers) and her resolute grit in battle. Unfortunately, Black Panther 2 finds itself filming in very different conditions compared to the first installment. With the impact of COVID-19 still keenly felt across the globe, and major studios keen to avoid the mass shutdowns of 2020, procedures are required to minimize the risk of cast and crew contracting the virus.
Those who have paid attention over the past 5 years won't be at all surprised to see how COVID-19 has become a deeply divisive social and political issue. The anti-vax crowd has always been present in western society, spreading conspiracy theories with precious little scientific evidence, but now the world's population at large is being asked to vaccinate themselves from COVID-19, the anti-vax issue has intensified, and celebrities from all walks are using their platforms to either support or question vaccination. Letitia Wright is one of the biggest names courting controversy for her COVID-19 vaccine stance, and her future in the MCU is coming under ever-increasing scrutiny as a result. But could Black Panther: Wakanda Forever be directly impacted by Wright's views?
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Letitia Wright controversy began in December 2020, when the MCU's Shuri actress shared an anti-vaccination video on Twitter alongside a praying emoji. Presented by Tomi Arayomi, the YouTube video in question takes a strong position against vaccination of any kind - COVID-19 jabs included - but offers no evidence to back up the claims being made. Indeed, Arayomi admits in the clip that he doesn't medically understand how vaccines work. As if baseless questioning of the COVID vaccine wasn't enough, others accused the presenter of transphobia and climate change skepticism through his videos, completing the online conspiracy theorist bingo card. Though Letitia Wright deleted the problematic post, her tweet had already been shared thousands of times, and many questioned whether the actress should be using her huge public platform to spread this brand of potentially dangerous misinformation.
Letitia Wright's response to the backlash only stoked the coals of controversy further. On one hand, Wright semi-apologized, stating, "My intention was not to hurt anyone," but the actress also doubled-down on the anti-vaccination spirit by complaining she was being cancelled for not conforming to popular opinion, and reaffirming the video "raised my concerns with what the vaccine contains and what we are putting in our bodies." With a full and frank retraction nowhere in sight, Letitia Wright deleted her social media accounts to the backdrop of intensifying criticism, most notably from MCU co-star Don Cheadle, who summed up the mess by describing Wright's shared video as "hot garbage."
Unfortunately, that's not where Letitia Wright's anti-vax story ends. In October 2021, The Hollywood Reporter claimed the actress had been voicing anti-vaccination views on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set, whilst also revealing she had been dropped by her US representation due to the previous year's social media incident. A few days later, Wright returned to Instagram to deny THR's report, asserting that her behavior had been entirely professional throughout shooting Black Panther 2. Only those directly involved with Black Panther 2 know the truth but, nevertheless, the story brought Letitia Wright's anti-vaccination beliefs back into public focus, and the subsequent response suggested her stance remained unchanged since the previous year's ill-advised tweet.
In August 2021, reports surfaced concerning an on-set injury sustained by Letitia Wright during the filming of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Though the full extent, nature and circumstances aren't known, the injuries are said to be minor, and Wright's representatives have since confirmed their client has been "recovering in London since September." According to another THR report, Ryan Coogler (director) has spent the past 2-3 months filming as much Shuri-free Black Panther 2 footage as possible, but now finds himself unable to proceed without Letitia Wright's involvement. As per her official statement, Wright won't be returning to Black Panther 2 until "early 2022," which effectively means the MCU sequel has entered production shutdown for at least 2 months.
Though there certainly could've been other factors involved (reshoots and COVID procedures lengthening filming, for example), it's possible Black Panther 2's production shutdown contributed to the recent spate of MCU movie delays. October 2021 saw a mass reshuffle of the Phase 4 slate, which Kevin Feige vaguely attributed to "production shifts and changes." By this point, Letitia Wright was already recovering in London, and Ryan Coogler would've been rapidly running out of material to shoot without Shuri. Highlighting the big drawback of a shared universe, if Black Panther 2 suddenly needed additional production time, the entire Phase 4 slate could've potentially been affected, though this isn't something Marvel Studios has officially confirmed.
COVID-19 is still very much changing how the world operates, and in order to avoid lockdowns, restrictions and isolating employees, many workplaces are encouraging the vaccine to reduce infections and limit the virus' severity. More than simply encouraging, vaccine mandates and vaccine passports are becoming increasingly common across the globe. Many mass gatherings and sporting events require proof of vaccination to attend, and Joe Biden's administration is currently working toward mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers - something the UK is also implementing. As well as healthcare and entertainment, vaccination is a key requirement for the travel industry too, and this is where Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could encounter another Letitia Wright problem.
Current travel rules demand non-US citizens be vaccinated before entering the country. That guidance only came into effect November 8, and will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future. Letitia Wright is confirmed by her representatives as presently residing in London, and the actress does not hold US citizenship. Assuming Wright is not vaccinated (and if her YouTube viewing habits are anything to go by, she most likely isn't), she would not meet the requirements for travelling to the US and filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in Atlanta. Should these travel arrangements remain effective come early 2022 (when Letitia Wright is expected to return after her injury), a tricky scenario could arise whereby the actress either gets vaccinated and flies to the US, or Black Panther 2 faces further delays due to Wright's unavailability.
Due to the sad loss of Chadwick Boseman, it's widely believed Shuri will adopt a more central role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the presence of Ironheart as a protégé supports that theory. If true, Letitia Wright could have a fair chunk of Shuri footage still to film for the sequel. Shuri's increased importance to the MCU also means Black Panther 2 can't cut around her, remove her or replace her. Reports of Hollywood actors quitting projects due to their vaccination status have increased as of late (see Ice Cube with Oh Hell No), but that's not an option for an established character like Letitia Wright's Shuri.
As things stand, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is dependent on either the US changing its travel regulations, or Letitia Wright getting vaccinated, but there's no guarantee either is going to happen anytime soon. If both sides refuse to blink, Black Panther 2 might consider filming Shuri's remaining scenes in the UK. Only those involved will know whether uprooting production is feasible, and the solution is far from ideal, but if Shuri's part in Black Panther 2 can be completed using green screen and other trickery, a relocation may prove preferable to an indefinite delay waiting for either the government or the actress to change their stance. No doubt Kevin Feige and Ryan Coogler will be assessing their options over Thanksgiving dinner, as any lingering cloud of uncertainty over Black Panther 2 could affect the entire MCU franchise.
Calls to recast Shuri in the MCU began shortly after Letitia Wright's irresponsible Twitter post, but Marvel has made no suggesting of hiring a new actress for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Wright's long-term MCU future, on the other hand, isn't quite so assured. Marvel will hope and pray that by the time Shuri is required again, the world is in a healthy enough place where vaccination status won't become restrictive. If the need for COVID-19 precautions rumbles on, however, Marvel might be one of the many studios to reconsider unvaccinated actors, especially if they can't actually travel to set. That could mean Shuri takes a back seat for a few years, or maybe Marvel bows to fan demand and recasts the role, citing both the problematic social media activity and potential delays by being unable to travel. Both options will prove difficult if, as suspected, Letitia Wright's Shuri inherits her brother's superhero mantle in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3okbTCa
0 Comments