Warning: This story contains spoilers for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Do not upset the Queen.
“Black Panther” star Angela Bassett revealed that she and the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, sparred over the flick’s plot twist involving her character, Queen Ramonda, reported IndieWire.
The 64-year-old Oscar nominee — who plays the Wakanda royal matriarch — is killed off during the film’s climax during a confrontation with the villain Namor (Tenoch Huerta) in an effort to protect another character.
According to Coogler, the sacrifice is the catalyst for Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) to rise as the leader of Wakanda. Bassett, on the other hand, did not agree with the vision.
“I objected,” she said. “Yeah, I was like, ‘Ryan, what are you doing? Why? You will rue the day! You will rue the demise of [Ramonda]. People are gonna be so upset,’ ” warned the actress.
“‘He was like, ‘Angela, I know, I know, but look, to die is not really to die in this world. It doesn’t really have to mean that,’” recalled the actress. “All kinds of crazy things happen.”
According to Bassett, it was unclear whether she would be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
“At the end of [‘Black Panther’], I didn’t know if I was coming back. I certainly hoped I would. I didn’t die,” recalled Bassett.
Bassett added that in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s sudden 2020 death, she received a letter from Coogler.
“Ramonda now has got to step up,” Bassett recalled the letter saying.
“She’s got to be there for Shuri; she’s queen. You’re just a very important place in this movie.”