It’s no secret by now that any feature film coming out of Marvel Studios is a colossal endeavor; putting aside the obvious scale of special effects and other technical intricacies that go into making films often dubbed as spectacles, the comic book outfit has the added responsibility of slotting its projects into the wider narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to say nothing of doing everything possible to ensure to nail the portrayals of so many beloved characters, some of them having been around for many decades.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is no exception; with a runtime of around two hours and 41 minutes, this is one of the MCU’s meatiest features yet, but even that pales in comparison to the real-life complications that contested the production of the film.
One such complication was Letitia Wright‘s on-set injury, which delayed the project by a few weeks; after a stunt mishap, the actress found herself with a nasty shoulder fracture and an equally unkind concussion.
But, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Wright happened upon a new strength in the midst of such a setback, noting that the situation caused her to reach limits that she’s never had to reach before. As a result, she felt much stronger upon her return.
“It was a moment for me to gain courage that I never had before and I didn’t know I had. You know when you go through situations, you’re like, ‘I didn’t know I had this much strength in me until I went through it’? That was my experience.”
Wright’s physical triumphs are indicative of a more widespread emotional one that echoed throughout the entire team; Chadwick Boseman’s passing in 2020 sent a devastating shockwave through the hearts of many, with director Ryan Coogler admitting that it nearly caused him to stop making movies altogether. But, at the end of the day, Coogler, Wright, and everyone involved evoked the strength to carry the story on; a story that seems to very palpably honor Boseman in the best way they could.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will release to theaters on Nov. 11.