I feel like screentime is one of those things in fiction that's a zero sum game. If they're gonna expand Shuri's role and promote her from Q to Batgirl or whatever, she'll get more speaking lines and action sequences. Unless they plan on cutting even more screentime from T'Challa than they did in the first film I think Okoye if the most dispensable character in that regard. She was part of the main cast before, but of the main cast I think she's the easiest to steal from.
Her or Ross now that I think about it. The iconography of the Dora is a huge part of BP, but as long as Okoye leads them in a serviceable fight scene and gets two or three jokes off I think fans will be satisfied. Especially since I think Shuri is already more popular and there'd be a stronger reaction to seeing her take the stage even if another character lost a bit of screentime. But who knows, if they cut really downsize on the Queen Mother, Ross, and even M'Baku maybe that's enough to expand Shuri's role without taking away from the core cast.
Yea I think that's the natural progression based on what Coogler set up. Might not be his plans exactly but it works I think. Nakia being head of social outreach as well as being a spy means she has international connections and access to hard-to-come-by information. If any kind of Wakandan technology is involved in the plot that gives Shuri a focus. T'Challa and Nakia can be giving her training in the unlikely event she needs to be able to protect herself in more ways than one. You actually give Ramonda something to do (and not putting Bassett's talents to waste) by showing she has a knack for politics and diplomacy (perhaps even better than her husband and son), give her screentime with Okoye who would be her loyal guard and confidant. And M'Baku is there to make sure his people get their dues but also make sure T'Challa's will is observed. And of course T'Challa is in charge of everything. No one makes a move unless he says so. And how he coordinates them is how he achieves his goals.
Honestly, I'm almost certain she'll be in the sequel. Black, female, offers American perspective, adds depth to M'Baku as his cousin, and relates to tribal politics. She'd be an interesting character to show up for a film and drive a subplot then transition into a Shuri D+ project. But I'm more interested in Kaspar Cole for the espionage/street level aspect. Plus, it'd be great to see him inducted into the Hatut Zeraze and honestly T'Challa's male supporting cast is lacking.
I'd appreciate if the MCU gave him one platonic relationship with a black male character other than M'Baku and Zuri (who's dead). If we really wanna lean into the symbolism of the franchise I think it'd be great to show a strong black male being able to positively interact with other strong black men without there being violence and tension. Unity within the black community doesn't just come from black men and women getting along. Black men need to get along and collaborate as well.
And Vibraxas of course expands on the properties of vibranium and gives T'Challa big gun to use in the field. Though I'm a bit worried they'll make him a mutant in the MCU so we'll see.
I'd make QDJ older and an American BLM/Nigerian EndSARS (or the MCU equivalent) activist that Nakia takes notice of. To be fair I'm not sure if I want to go the secret Wakandan route with her. Narratively it could work as she could be the literal opposite of Killmonger and could serve as evidence that T'Challa's non-isolationist stance can yield good results. But her story is kinda similar to Killmonger's and it might feel redundant and exploring it might take up unnecessary screentime. Either way she should be older and less sassy to differentiate from Shuri, and I wouldn't make her T'Challa's sidekick. As for Vibraxas I'd make him Shuri's lab mate and possible love interest and instead of powers I'd give him a suit that mimics what he can do in the comics.
This right here. I feel like the first movie did a great job establishing Black men and women getting along and working together I. A positive light, we got the understanding between T'Challa and M'Baku, however the other Black males in the movie ended in betrayal (W'kabi) or violence (Erik) and so we are in desperate need of some more positivity between males. Be it W'kabis redemption, or some quite moments between T'Challa and M'Baku having a bro moment to really show that positive side and really cover all the bases. Have that trust form and show how these two leaders and powerful men can find talk about what it means to lead and offer each other support and positive vibes
I'm going to be frank. I really don't want to see the cast get much bloated then it is. QDJ, vibraxas, Kasper, those are all Disney + characters thst can make an appearance there. The film already has a very large cast and even with the few gone (zuri, possibly W'kabi, klaw, and Erik) the cast is huge still. You gotta work with what you have and not have too many people fighting for screen time. Now more than ever with the passing of Chad, The sequel really needs to focus on T'Challa and the antagonist the most, probably even more so than the first, we need a clear establishment of why we care about T'Challa, who he is,
and what he represents. We need to see the shift towards Priest/Hudlin panther, and show why he is the GOAT.
Did someone say QDJ?
Don't need her, don't want her. Already did the "wakandan royalty in NYC" thing with Killmonger. Her name is stupid. Even if she did make it to the movie, she'd have to be totally redesigned.
There is no point to add anymore "good guy" characters. T'challa, Okoye, M'baku, Nakia, Shuri, Ramanda is more than enough protagonists that need screen time. That isn't even bringing up W'kabi and Ross. Or the rest of the tribal council.
I don't need another American character sucking up screen time. Show us more Wakanda, show us more of the main cast, go deeper. Spend the rest of the time making a good villain.
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You bring up a good point about QDJ. I think her origin as a lost Jabari princess turned temporary Dora is the most interesting aspect of her character, but agree it's too similar to KM, even with the inversion of their fates. I like your idea of ignoring it altogether and just having it so she's a non-Wakandan activist. Maybe part of the main villain's plan is assassinating prominent people involved in a particular cause and T'Challa saves her, bringing her into his orbit. By the end she gets some sort of position in the outreach program and starts training with the Dora?
Conversely, they could lean entirely into her as a Jabari princess aspect and have it so she's maybe an ally to Nakia from the Jabari. Similar to how Ross had obligations greater than just T'Challa, maybe QDJ is stuck between her tribe's traditionalist desires and her wanting to work with the outreach program. Though I think something is lost having her not be raised in America. But agreed that she should be more mature and in the age range of T'Challa/Nakia.
I think your idea for Vibraxas works great. Shuri should develop her own friends/supporting cast and he works great for that. Love interest, tech-enhanced brawler, and a native Wakandan. For Kasper Cole I was thinking they make him a former SHIELD agent turned private investigator of some sort after the agency falls. T'Challa requests help from him in order to get info on the main threat of the film. Then one thing leads to another and in a moment of desperation the man dons a Hatut Zeraze white suit gifted to him by T'Challa. They can have him deputized in an end credit scene or something.
LMAO. These people are so predictable
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Honestly given what was said a couple pages back, I think it's likely we will, unless the entire script was rewritten at lightning speed, if they are filming that soon, then it's likely that they aren't going replace him with Shuri. It's not like they can just copy and paste his lines to her because he was taking on some very heavy things that she would have no idea how to handle.
I mean I agree with this, but it does get pretty old seeing isht like this pop up every time anything BP related pops up. That being said, I also agree that I don't want to see more of this on here because it makes my blood boil. Plus the irony of that post is staggering