Well, I suppose it has been long enough so... my thoughts:
Firstly, anyone who thinks Shuri needs to be BP because "That's what happened in the comics!" needs to sit in a corner and watch every single MCU film again, because "what happened in the comics" has _never_ influenced the movies. Quite the opposite, in fact.
That being said...
Marvel Studios basically have three choices on how to proceed. None of them are really good, and no matter what, someone is going to get pissed off.
- Cancel the sequel. This is the first time that we've seen a lead character's performer pass away in a major franchise (The Crow does not count... the sequels all had different characters as protagonists). Of course, that's leaving money on the table, but with the current pandemic culture, it might be the best move.
- Recast. That would enable them to move forward with their original plans, more or less, but whoever gets the role will face an uphill battle, being compared by fans to Chadwick.
- Give the mantle to someone else. It means T'Challa's story would end prematurely, but wold reduce the inevitable comparisons.
But who would they choose? Okoye is unlikely to accept it (conflicting loyalties and all that), and I seriously doubt M'Baku would accept the cat suit as a worshipper of Hanuman. In my mind, that leaves three possibilities:
- Shuri: Not only does she have the strongest character arc (having to grow up and take responsibility) but her science background might make up for the lack of the HSH.
- Nakia: She looked like the champion of the River Tribe at the Falls, and would certainly be motivated. She's not really comfortable in the spotlight, tho.
- Someone new, like the MCU version of Kasper Cole. But they would have to set up his status quo at the same time, and might crowd the movie.
What's the best choice? Frankly, I don't know, but I'm glad it's not my job to decide. I don't begrudge Feige & Coogler their choice.