Black Panther: 10 Reasons Why It's The Most Important Marvel Film Yet
8. Everything About Shuri
Marvel Studios
Michael B. Jordan might've stolen the film as Erik Killmonger, but if any character comes close to dethroning him, then it's Letitia Wright's Shuri.
Wakanda's STEM ace and the Q to Black Panther's Bond, Shuri is far and away the best supporting character Marvel have seen yet. Wright's performance is just too good, with the character's smarts, wit and bravery all coalescing to create a hero you can't help but get behind. She steals every scene she's in, whether it be in a debrief of some new Wakandan tech, or in assisting the team in the field through some expert driving skills.
There isn't a single flaw in her performance, with the final act in particular showcasing all three of these traits as she goes on to take Killmonger on her own. It's a remarkably tense scene, but one that exemplifies just how strong the character - and Wright's performance - truly is.
Shuri's just a great hero, and a genuine Panther in the making.
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
