David Jonsson Leads Ryan Coogler's Black Panther 3

Marvel Studios officially announced Black Panther 3 at San Diego Comic-Con on Sunday, confirming Ryan Coogler’s return as director.

The announcement was made during Marvel’s Hall H panel by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Coogler. The studio also announced that David Jonsson will portray an adult version of T’Challa’s son, making him the new Black Panther.

“Thank you to this amazing family that I have the honor and privilege and the blessing to join,” Jonsson said from the stage as the audience exulted, with some sections breaking out in Wakanda chants. He will take on he mantle of the Black Panther for the film.

"David Jonsson is your new Black Panther. Black Panther 3, directed by Ryan Coogler, arrives in theaters December 15, 2028,” Marvel confirmed on X.

Black Panther Franchise Trajectory

The actor is a recent Hollywood breakout, with key roles in Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk. Jonsson was also part of the main cast for the first two seasons of Industry. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever concluded with the revelation that Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa had a young son with Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia. Of course, there might be a time jump involved. The film also will come after next year’s Avengers: Secret War

The Black Panther film franchise emerged with the 2018 title, starring Boseman as T’Challa. With a cast that included Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett, the film was a blockbuster, collecting $1.3 billion at the global box office and becoming the first superhero feature to garner an Academy Award nomination for best picture. The sequel, Wakanda Forever, hit theaters in 2022 and strode beyond $850 million at the worldwide box office. It won an Oscar from five nominations, with Angela Bassett becoming the first actor nominated for an Academy Award for a performance in a Marvel movie.

Black Panther 3 — or Black Panther III, as it's currently being billed — will be Ryan Coogler's next movie. Firstly, as the celluloid revolution — of which Coogler has been a major proponent — continues to gather steam, there's also a confirmation that BP3 is being shot on large-format celluloid film. The movie has locked a release date: 15 December, 2028.