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Almost six years since Chadwick Boseman’s death, Marvel Studios has officially found its next Black Panther.
At the San Diego Comic-Con, Oscar-winning director Ryan Coogler announced that actor David Jonsson will take on the iconic mantle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe through Black Panther 3.
The announcement has sparked a flurry of reactions across social media, with fans largely welcoming the decision and expressing excitement over the Black Panther story continuing while carrying forward the legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman.
Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige shared the update when they took the stage at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday during Marvel Studios‘ panel. They shared that a third Black Panther movie is officially in the works, with a brand-new star who will take on the titular mantle.
Actor David Jonsson is set to play T’Challa, the son and namesake of the late Chadwick Boseman’s character. Black Panther 3 is slated to hit the theaters on December 15, 2028.
“Thank you to this amazing family that I have the honour and privilege and the blessing to join,” David Jonsson said from the stage as the audience screamed and cheered, with some sections breaking out in Wakanda chants.
The third part of the franchise will follow David Jonsson’s character, Prince T’Challa II, as he comes of age after he was introduced as a child in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Apart from Ryan Coogler returning for the third film, Leticia Wright is reprising her role as Shuri and Winston Duke as M’Baku.
Chadwick Boseman was set to reprise his lead role in a planned sequel before he died in 2020 after a private battle with colon cancer. After his death, the follow-up film’s focus shifted to Leticia Wright’s character, Shuri, taking up the mantle of Black Panther following the death of brother T’Challa.
The sequel, Wakanda Forever, hit theatres in 2022 and surpassed $850 million at the worldwide box office. It won an Oscar from five nominations, with Angela Bassett becoming the first performer nominated for an Academy Award for a performance in a Marvel movie.