Warning: This article will have spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever saved its most shocking reveal for the very end. In the mid-credits scene, Shuri heads to Haiti to stay with Nakia. After Shuri burns her funeral robe on the beach, Nakia brings out a young boy named Toussaint. The boy is Nakia and T’Challa’s son, making him Shuri’s nephew. However, Shuri was not the only one to film a scene with Toussaint. Angela Bassett shared (via Variety) that she also filmed a scene with her onscreen grandson, but it did not make the final cut.
“I filmed a scene. I did, but you know — cutting room, readjusting and reshaping it. What does Ramonda say? Oh, ‘Shuri, there’s something that I need to tell you,'” said Bassett. “I went to Haiti, of course. I met him, I was introduced to him… but it wound up on the cutting room floor. To make it a surprise for the audience and to Shuri. It was the right way to go. Perfect to go about it.”
RELATED: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Editor Discusses What Got Cut
The Toussaint reveal was not the only surprising element of Black Panther 2. After Namor attacked Wakanda, Queen Ramonda saved Riri Williams from drowning but died in the process. When reading the script, the shocking death surprised Bassett, and it took her some time to grapple with the decision. Having previously expressed some personal dissatisfaction with that choice, she’s still bothered.
“I was not happy about that. I was not pleased. I was so shocked. I was… just mortified. You know, it’s like they gave you the greatest gift, and they snatched it away,” said Bassett. “Part of me was like, ‘Okay, don’t say anything, be strong.’ Then the other part of me was like… ‘I just got to let him know. That I don’t like this at all — and why? — and don’t do this.’ The love for Ramonda was so real and heartfelt, but you know — they always kill the heart and soul.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now in theaters everywhere.
Do you think they should have cut Ramonda’s scene with Toussaint? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
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