Is Shuri of Black Panther Officially a Disney Princess?

Shuri, the sister of T'Challa from the Black Panther film, often garners a lot of attention for her intelligence and technological expertise. While some fans and media may refer to her as a Disney Princess, there is no official classification from Disney. To understand why, we need to delve into the criteria for a Disney Princess, as well as explore the unique context of Shuri's role within the broader entertainment landscape.

Criteria for Becoming a Disney Princess

Disney has specific criteria for their Princess franchise, ensuring consistency and recognition. These criteria are threefold:

1. Primary Role in an Animated Movie

The first criterion is having a primary role in an animated feature film produced by Disney. This means that the character's storyline and narrative importance must come mostly from the animated film itself.

2. Human or Mostly Human-like Character

The second criterion is that the character must be human or mostly human-like. Characters like Ariel from The Little Mermaid perfectly exemplify this requirement.

3. Not Primarily in a Sequel or Commercial Failure

The third criterion is that the character should not appear primarily in a sequel or a film that is a commercial failure. This ensures that Disney Princesses are associated with successful, top-notch productions.

Shuri's Role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Shuri plays a significant role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but her involvement is in live-action films, not in Disney's animated features. This means that she does not meet the first criterion of appearing in an animated film produced by Disney herself. While Disney owns the Black Panther franchise and the film is produced with their budget and distribution, the animated aspect is absent.

Furthermore, the Disney Princess franchise is centered around human characters rather than characters from live-action films. Even though Shuri is originally a part of Disney's content, her primary role in the film is not in an animated setting.

Is Shuri a Disney Princess?

While there is a significant and growing fanbase that considers Shuri a Disney Princess due to her popularity and strong character, she does not meet the official criteria set by Disney. The Black Panther films are part of the live-action section of Disney’s content, and while they are owned by Disney, the animated requirements for an official Disney Princess remain unmet for Shuri.

Despite not being officially classified as a Disney Princess, Shuri has become a celebrated figure in her own right, recognized for her intelligence, technological innovations, and her role as a strong female character, particularly in the MCU.

So, while Shuri may not fit into the traditional Disney Princess category, her importance and impact as a character in the broader entertainment landscape cannot be understated.