Shuri & Namor Nearly Had A Romance In Black Panther 2, Says MCU Editor

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever editor Michael P. Shawver reveals that Shuri and Namor were almost romantically linked in the Marvel Studios sequel.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever editor Michael P. Shawver reveals that Shuri and Namor were almost romantically involved in the Marvel Studios sequel. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the much-anticipated follow-up to 2018's Black Panther had its work cut out for it after Chadwick Boseman's unexpected passing in 2020. Despite the difficulties and fresh setbacks brought upon by the coronavirus pandemic, the filmmakers delivered a poignant and powerful film that debuts Shuri as the new Black Panther and introduces the latest power-player in the MCU with Namor.

As the two primary characters in the film, Shuri and Namor had an interesting dynamic in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, finding themselves at odds as they fight for their respective people. Namor was desperately trying to keep the underwater city of Talokan hidden from the rest of the world, while Shuri leads a grieving nation that is in a precarious place. When they first met, Shuri and Namor had some of the most insightful conversations in the movie, and as it turns out, there was a cut of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that would have seen them romantically linked with each other, as revealed by Shawver in a new interview with Newsweek. Read his full quote below:

I think what's really interesting is there were takes where there was some connection there... and at one point in an early cut we discussed like, 'Hey, do we leave it there? Do we just put it out there? Let's just add some complexity to the relationship.' But, then, you've got to watch out for portraying, for example, Shuri flirting to get what she wants as opposed to being a diplomatic leader and becoming the leader that she needs to be, that she'll get to at the end. So what we ultimately focused on was Namor's line where he says, 'Only the most damaged people can be truly great leaders,' and that's planting the seed of the shared trauma that she realizes at the end [of the film]. But that's essentially who they are, they're trying to lead and be a leader of their nations with all this pain, carrying around this heavy heart.

Removing Shuri & Namor's Black Panther 2 Romance Was The Right Call

The MCU has had great couples in the past, and they've told love stories within superhero films before. But ultimately, while there was clear chemistry between Shuri and Namor, it was for the best that Marvel Studios decided to do without their potential love line. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was already a packed film as it was. It had a lot of narratives to go through, and although it did a great job doing a balancing act on all of these arcs, adding a significant one could have made the film stuffed and unfocused.

Not pushing forward with Namor and Shuri's planned romance also helped the film zero in on the only romantic love in the film: Nakia and T'Challa. Granted that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever doesn't delve much into their dynamic, Nakia's speech about why she opted not to attend T'Challa's funeral highlights just how difficult it has been for her. It also helped properly set up the eventual introduction of their secret son, Prince Toussaint.

Could Shuri & Namor Get Romantic In Black Panther 3?

After their intense fight at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, there's an idea that there's some kind of partnership forged between Wakanda and Talokan. Given this, expect that the two nations will continue to develop diplomatic relations, which means fans should see more of Namor and Shuri's interaction. Whether Marvel Studios revisits their planned romance in the inevitable Black Panther 3is unknown, but it would be interesting to see their relationship evolve down the road.

More: Wakanda Forever’s Ending Perfectly Captures T’Challa’s Final Message

Source: Newsweek

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