“Black Panther” 3 Has Its New Hero! Here’s Everything We Know About Wakanda’s Next Chapter

Christopher Rudolph, Caroline BlairMon, July 27, 2026 at 6:20 PM UTC

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Chadwick Boseman Letitia Wright in ‘Black Panther’Credit: Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock -

Black Panther 3 will hit theaters on Dec. 15, 2028

The third installment of the Marvel franchise will star David Jonsson as the next Black Panther

Ryan Coogler, who directed the first two films, will return for the series’ upcoming movie

Black Panther 3 is officially introducing the next generation of its titular hero

The third movie in the Marvel franchise will introduce David Jonsson as the famed superhero, the crew announced at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25. The British actor will step in to portray T’Challa’s adult son as he comes of age and accepts the new position of power.

Ryan Coogler, who directed the original 2018 film and the 2022 sequel, previously confirmed that he’s returning as the writer and director when the third movie was announced in 2024. Chadwick Boseman famously played T’Challa in the first Black Panther; the actor died of colon cancer at age 43 in 2020.

When it came to the sequel, Coogler reworked the movie to star Letitia Wright as T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, who became the next Black Panther. She is set to reprise her role in Black Panther 3, which will be released on Dec. 15, 2028.

Here’s everything to know about Black Panther 3, including the cast, director and more.

What will Black Panther 3 be about?

Angela Bassett in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’Credit: Marvel/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

Black Panther 3 will revolve around T’Challa’s adult son, Prince T’Challa II, in a coming of age story as he takes on the next generation of the Black Panther.

At the end of 2022’s Wakanda Forever, Shuri (Wright) has become the new Black Panther, following in her brother’s footsteps. In a surprising move, Shuri decides to leave Wakanda and give up her royal title. Jabari Tribe leader M’Baku (Winston Duke) steps forward, calling for a challenge to the throne.

Shuri visits Nakia (Lupito Nyong’o) in Haiti, and on the beach Shuri has a ceremonial burning of the robe she wore to her brother’s funeral. Nakia joins Shuri and introduces her to her son, Toussaint, the child of T’Challa, whom Nakia has been raising “away from the pressure of the throne.”

With that reveal, the next Black Panther could feature a fight between Toussaint and M’Baku for the throne.

Who is in the Black Panther 3 cast?

David Jonsson` attends the Marvel Studios Panel at 2026 San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, 2026 in San Diego, California; Chadwick Boseman in ‘Black Panther’Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Marvel/Disney

David Jonsson will star as T’Challa’s adult son, Prince T’Challa II, in Black Panther 3, the crew officially announced at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige later told Empire that Jonsson and Coogler had a “secret meeting” that secured his casting.

“A month and a half or so before that process, he called me and said, ‘I found him,’ ” Feige recalled. “I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He goes, ‘I found him. He’s this guy, David Jonsson.’ ”

Feige continued, “He had a secret meeting with him under cloak of darkness in a hotel somewhere, and called me afterwards and said, ‘He’s the guy, he’s the guy, I felt it. I felt it in my soul. He’s a good man, and he is the next Black Panther.’ And I got chills, and I got a little welled-up and said, ‘Let’s do it’. So we’ve been sitting on this secret for a good five or six months.”

In addition to Jonsson, returning cast member Wright is also confirmed to be appearing in the third movie. Meanwhile, Denzel Washington also revealed that he was joining the cast during an interview on Australia Today.

During the June 5 episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Coogler confirmed that he has written a part for Washington in the upcoming sequel.

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The director told host Carmelo Anthony, “Denzel is family at this point ... I’ve been trying to work with him since day one.”

He continued, “I think he’s the greatest living actor, and in terms of what he means to our culture, forget about it. I’ve been talking to him about this for a long time.”

Other cast members have not been announced, but original Black Panther stars Nyong’o, Duke and Danai Gurira all returned for Wakanda Forever. Angela Bassett also reprised her role — and earned an Oscar nomination for it — but her character, Queen Ramonda, died in the sequel.

Will Ryan Gosling be in Black Panther 3?

Ryan Gosling attends ‘The Fall Guy’ premiere in Paris, FranceCredit: Corbis via Getty

No, Ryan Gosling has not been confirmed to join Black Panther 3.

In the first issue of Marvel Knights: The World to Come — which hit comic stands on June 4, 2025 — T’Challa dies, and his son, Ketema, declares himself to be the king of Wakanda. At the end of the issue, Ketema unmasks himself to reveal that he is a White man.

Following the reveal that the new leader of Wakanda in the Marvel Comics series is White, memes announcing Gosling’s casting circulated online.

For years, fans have speculated about the Barbie star joining the MCU. When asked about the rumors of playing a Marvel superhero in a 2022 MTV News interview, Gosling joked, “I was waiting for the Captain Canada call.”

The actor later told MTV News’ Josh Horowitz that he is interested in playing Ghost Rider. It’s a character he’s long been familiar with, since his longtime partner, Eva Mendes, starred in Ghost Rider back in 2007.

At the same Comic-Con where the crew behind Black Panther 3 made their announcements, Gosling was announced as the next Ghost Rider.

Who is directing Black Panther 3?

Ryan CooglerCredit: Roy Rochlin/Getty

Coogler, the director of the first two Black Panther movies, is returning to helm the third installment.

Outside of Black Panther, Coogler also directed Fruitvale Station, Creed and Sinners. The vampire period piece became a sensation when it was released in April 2025, earning more than $350 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo.

While Coogler hasn’t shared much about his plans for the third movie in the series, he did confirm that Black Panther 3 is his “next movie” while speaking at the Sinners panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles in November 2025.

When will Black Panther 3 be released?

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’Credit: Courtesy Marvel Studios

Black Panther 3 will film on 70mm and premiere in theaters on Dec. 15, 2028.

Fans eager to return to the world of Black Panther can watch Eyes of Wakanda, an animated anthology seriesabout generations of warriors throughout the country’s history, that began streaming on Disney+ in August 2025.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”