Ryan Coogler is on a dream run. After Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the director, along with star Michael B. Jordan, came out this year with Sinners, the vampire flick that took audiences on an unforgettable horror adventure. The movie is getting its flowers as awards season begins, receiving nominations across various categories, and now, fans are eager to know which project Coogler is helming next. The answer is rather simple: Black Panther 3. Before the fan-favorite director makes another original story, he’s returning to the MCU with a promise of Denzel Washington’s appearance in the upcoming movie.
While it was previously reported that the threequel has been fast-tracked by Marvel Studios, a new report in The New York Times suggests that Black Panther could come out in 2028. That places the movie right after the big superhero mashup, Avengers: Secret Wars, which is all but assured to be the biggest cinematic event of 2027. Coogler previously introduced a mutant, Namor (Tenoch Huerta), in Black Panther 2, so it remains to be seen if the third movie introduces any more.
Coogler has been one of the MCU directors who have consistently delivered with each movie. He also produced series like Iron Heart and Eyes of Wakanda on Disney+. His work outside the MCU also speaks for itself, so it’s no wonder the studio wants the director involved in future MCU projects, especially when the universe resets after Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Who Will Be in ‘Black Panther 3’?
Black Panther 2 had the impossible task of addressing Chadwick Boseman’s absence from the film following his untimely passing, while also making a feature that takes the world forward. Coogler and the team made the best decision of not recasting T’Challa but to pass on the mantle to Shuri (Letitia Wright) in time of need. So, while there are rumors of F1 star Damson Idris taking over the mantle in future iterations, no official confirmation has been given. Further, Wright and Winston Duke are expected to return for Black Panther 3, given they survive the upcoming events of the Avengers movies. They and their Wakanda Forever co-star Tenoch Huerta are also confirmed to return for Avengers: Doomsday.
But the biggest casting news to come forth is Washington in an undisclosed role. Coogler previously said of his casting: “There’s no fiction out there. Denzel is family at this point…I’ve been trying to work with him since day one. 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 to him for a long time. I was surprised that when he mentioned it [‘Black Panther 3’], but it’s not like it’s not true.”
Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates on Black Panther 3.