Marvel Studios has officially unveiled the future of Wakanda, confirming that actor David Jonsson will headline Black Panther 3 as Prince T'Challa II, the son of the late King T'Challa. The announcement was made during the studio's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, with the third instalment scheduled to arrive in theatres on December 15, 2028.
Jonsson, whose recent credits include Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk, will portray an older version of T'Challa II, who was introduced as a young child at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The upcoming film will centre on the young prince's journey into adulthood as he steps toward embracing the Black Panther legacy.
Ryan Coogler is returning to direct the third chapter in the franchise. Letitia Wright will reprise her role as Shuri, while Winston Duke is also set to return as M'Baku.
Following the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 after a private battle with colon cancer, Marvel chose not to recast T'Challa for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Instead, the sequel saw Shuri assume the mantle of Black Panther while also revealing that T'Challa and Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) had a son, laying the foundation for the character's future within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Released in 2018, Black Panther became a landmark for Marvel Studios, collecting over $1.3 billion at the global box office and earning seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture—the first superhero film to receive that honour. It went on to win Oscars for costume design, production design and original score.
Its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, released in 2022, grossed $859 million worldwide and emerged as one of the biggest post-pandemic openings globally, earning $331 million during its opening weekend. The film also received five Academy Award nominations, with Angela Bassett making history as the first performer from a Marvel film to earn an acting Oscar nomination.
Before Black Panther 3 reaches theatres, audiences will see Wright return as Shuri in Avengers: Doomsday, which is slated for release on December 18.