Producer Nate Moore of Marvel Studios provided more information on the injury Letitia Wright sustained while filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Beyond the devastating loss of lead actor Chadwick Boseman in August 2020, Black Panther 2 emerged as one of the most difficult difficulties in the long history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Shuri star Letitia Wright got a rather serious injury while executing a stunt during outside filming in November 2021, which then caused more problems and criticism surrounding the actress. This came after countless previous COVID-19-related delays.
In September 2022, Wright made a comment about the injury, saying that she “came away incredibly proud in the face of adversity” while enduring the discomfort and going through the healing process.
One of Marvel’s top producers has since provided additional insight into how he handled the news, noting how tough it was to have one of his top performers placed in such a challenging circumstance.
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Reflections on Letitia Wright’s Injury from a Marvel Producer
Nate Moore, VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, reflected on the challenges he had while working on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when star Letitia Wright fell ill. Moore was speaking at a roundtable discussion organized by The Hollywood Reporter.
When asked about his scariest work-related experience, he readily admitted that Letitia Wright’s injury during a Boston, Massachusetts, the shoot was the most terrifying one. After the injury, Moore “received a call in the middle of the night from the ambulance,” which caused him to worry a great deal about Wright and the movie while also feeling “guilty for having her in that position” initially:
“Look, it’s no secret that making Panther was difficult, but the scariest part of the movie was when Tish (Letitia Wright) was hurt. Since the entire crew was still in Atlanta, we were filming some second units and stunt work in Boston. I, therefore, received a call from the ambulance in the middle of the night. And it is terrible because it is now about the person, who I have known for years, rather than simply the movie at that time. Additionally, you feel accountable for every member of your crew as a producer, so you take responsibility for placing her in that situation in the first place.”
The hardest aspect of the event was “figuring out how to get Tish’s head right” afterward, making sure she received all the support she required to return on set and feel at ease. After that, Moore praised Wright for her efforts in recovering from the harm and for putting on “a tremendous performance when she was able to get back” to full strength:
“And since that was such a terrible event for Tish to go through, picking up the pieces and figuring out the routine was almost easier than figuring out how to get her mind straight and receive the help she needed, both physically and mentally. To be very honest, you never know if you’re going to recover from that, but she did, which made it possible for her to return and perform at the level she was. Although she is such a warrior and put up a beautiful show once she was able to return, at the time, receiving that phone call was the scariest thing she had ever experienced.”
The concern over Letitia Wright’s injury tested the Marvel team.
Letitia Wright was the subject of criticism involving more than just her injury, but Nate Moore clarified how severe the circumstances were when the actress was harmed while doing stunt work in Boston. Wright’s accident only made it more difficult for Marvel Studios to finish filming the sequel largely without its star actor, Shuri, who eventually took over the Black Panther role from her deceased brother T’Challa on screen.
Due to Wright’s injuries, her coworkers were more worried about her well-being than the progress of the film, which further demonstrates the ties and love that everyone at Marvel Studios has developed over the years.
Letitia Wright has now positioned for a longer future as the Black Panther thanks to the Marvel team’s success in finishing Black Panther 2 in time for the film’s November release. As the Multiverse Saga progresses, she is already expected to have a significant role in 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, enabling her to interact with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on a far larger scale.
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