Marvel Just Crowned a New Black Panther — Here's Everything We Know
Wakanda forever just got a new heir to the throne. At Marvel Studios' Hall H panel during San Diego Comic-Con 2026, director Ryan Coogler officially confirmed Black Panther 3, revealing that British actor David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) will step into the vibranium suit as T'Challa II — the son of T'Challa and Nakia, first introduced as a child at the end of Wakanda Forever.
The Details:
Release date: December 15, 2028
Director: Ryan Coogler returns to complete the trilogy he launched in 2018
Returning cast: Letitia Wright (Shuri) and Winston Duke (M'Baku)
New addition: Denzel Washington joins the MCU for the first time — his role has not yet been disclosed
The story: Coogler told the Comic-Con crowd the film follows T'Challa II as he "comes of age" and steps toward Wakanda's crown
Production note: The film will be shot on 70mm, making it only the second MCU film (after Eternals) shot on film
Why It Matters
This marks the completion of a trilogy Coogler began nearly a decade ago with the groundbreaking 2018 original — the first Marvel Studios film with a predominantly Black cast and director, which went on to gross $1.3 billion worldwide and earn a historic Best Picture nomination. Following Chadwick Boseman's death in 2020 and Shuri's ascension to the mantle in Wakanda Forever, this new chapter passes the vibranium suit to the next generation, with Jonsson inheriting a role with enormous cultural weight.
Black Panther 3 lands in theaters December 15, 2028.