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Spoilers for the 2022 film: Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, becomes the new Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Before release, trailer footage and toy packaging pointed to her identity; the finished film confirms it. The sources available do not establish one definitive original post behind the plot leak.
Who is the new Black Panther in Wakanda Forever?
It is Shuri. In the released film, she takes on the Black Panther mantle after her brother, King T’Challa, dies. This is the film’s confirmed story—not merely a pre-release theory based on a costume or a merchandise clue. Disney’s official film page identifies Shuri in the suit, and retrospective coverage confirms her role in the completed movie: Disney’s film page and TheWrap’s reporting on the film’s story.
What did the plot leak reveal, and what was actually known before release?
Pre-release clues emerged in stages. The first trailer offered a brief visual hint; a later trailer showed the new Black Panther in costume. Contemporary reporting noted that the unmasked identity had not appeared in the released footage, while toy packaging gave people another way to identify the character. The Washington Post’s pre-release coverage described the trailer and merchandise clues.
Those clues helped point to Shuri, but they should not be conflated with a verified account of exactly who first leaked the information or where a particular claim originated. The strongest conclusion is narrower: pre-release material and packaging indicated the identity, and the film later confirmed it. A leak-era headline may suggest a single definitive disclosure, but the available reporting does not establish one.
#1 Best Overall
![Black Panther / Wakanda Forever: 2-Movie Collection [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41NfE4TO4xL._SL160_.jpg)
- The complete 2-movie saga of Marvel Studios' Black Panther.
How does Shuri’s reveal fit the film’s story?
The story begins after T’Challa’s death. Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje face pressure from outside powers as well as Namor, leader of the undersea nation Talokan. Nakia and Everett Ross also assist the Wakandans. Shuri’s choice to become Black Panther is bound up with grief, responsibility, and the question of what Wakanda will become—not presented as an isolated costume reveal. Disney’s retrospective feature discusses the film’s emotional approach; the official D23 synopsis outlines its premise.
How Chadwick Boseman’s death changed the film
After Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, the filmmakers chose not to recast T’Challa for the sequel. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described how the loss shaped the movie: “When we lost Chad, all of that obviously was then poured into this movie — keeping the idea of a celebration of Wakanda and the character at the forefront, in addition to the grief that comes with that.”
Rank #2
![Marvel Studio's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever UHD [Blu-ray] [Region Free] [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zeHkZ8CwL._SL160_.jpg)
- Marvel Studio's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever UHD
Producer Nate Moore also emphasized that the characters’ response would include more than sorrow: “I think, as storytellers, you just want to be as honest as possible with what the characters would experience in the film after they experience the loss of T’Challa. And that is not just grief — it’s also sometimes joy, sometimes humor. It is all of the emotions anyone feels with any profound loss.” Both quotations appear in Disney’s official retrospective feature.
Was there an earlier version of the story?
Yes, but it is not the plot of the released film. Ryan Coogler discussed an original draft written with Boseman expected to return; TheWrap reports that Coogler described it as a 180-page draft. After Boseman’s death, the story was rewritten around T’Challa’s death, Wakanda’s grief, and Shuri’s journey. The draft belongs to an abandoned version of the sequel, not an alternate account of what happens in the 2022 release. See TheWrap’s account of Coogler’s comments.
Rank #3
- Black Panther Wakanda Forever - Bd + Poster
Release details for the 2022 film
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opened internationally on November 9, 2022, followed by its U.S. release on November 11, 2022. D23 lists its runtime as 161 minutes. These are historical release details, not current theater listings. The dates and runtime are listed on D23’s film reference.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 6-INCH-SCALE COLLECTIBLE MCU FIGURE: Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this 6-inch-scale figure, inspired by the character from Marvel Entertainment
- INSPIRED BY THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: This 6-inch scale Shuri figure features sculpting and deco inspired by her appearance in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther
- WAKANDA FOREVER: Premium articulation and accessories allow this Marvel’s Nakia figure to take on a host of action-ready poses! Use the included accessories to recreate your favorite MCU moments!
- PREMIUM FEATURES AND ACCESSORIES: This 6-inch Legends Series Shuri figure features movie-accurate deco and detailing and includes her signature vibranium gauntlet weapon accessories!
- MARVEL UNIVERSE IN 6-INCH SCALE: Look for other Marvel Legends Series figures inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Black Panther, Killmonger, and Marvel’s Nakia (Additional figures each sold separately. Subject to availability)
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