Los Angeles: Actor David Jonsson, best known for his roles in Alien Romulus and The Long Walk, will be the new Black Panther as T’Challa’s son in Black Panther 3.
Scheduled for release December 15, 2028, the Ryan Coogler-directed movie will follow Jonsson as Prince T’Challa II as a young adult after his introduction as a child in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, reported Variety.
Coogler and Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige announced Jonsson as MCU’s next Black Panther at the San Diego Comic-Con. The third film will be a coming-of-age story, following the young heir’s journey in claiming his right to the throne of Wakanda while managing the heavy weight of his late father’s legacy.
Franchise co-stars Leticia Wright and Winston Duke were also present at the presentation at Marvel’s Comic-Con Hall H panel and will return as Shuri and M’Baku, respectively.
After Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer in 2020, Wright took over the role of Black Panther in Wakanda Forever. The character T’Challa II was introduced as T’Challa and Nakia’s (Lupita Nyong’o) son in the movie.
At the panel, Feige said a “secret meeting” between Jonsson and Coogler led to his casting as the next Black Panther.
“We hadn’t started a search yet. We were waiting ’til after the Academy Awards to sit with Ryan and begin that process,” Feige said.
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“He (Coogler) had a secret meeting with him (Jonsson) 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,’ said Feige.
Marvel launched the first Black Panther in 2018 to overwhelming acclaim. It grossed USD 1.3 billion at the worldwide box office and earned seven Oscar nominations, including best picture. Boseman’s death during the pandemic led Coogler to rewrite the story with Wright stepping into the role of her on-screen brother.
Marvel fans won’t have to wait long to see Wright back in action as Black Panther, as she’s part of the sprawling Avengers: Doomsday cast. The film will hit theatres December 18.
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