After the success of “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler could have probably made any movie he wanted, with almost any studio happily giving him the budget he needed. Yet he’s decided to go back to Marvel.
This evening at CinemaCon, “Black Panther 3” was finally confirmed. Coogler will return to direct, with David Jonsson (“Alien: Romulus”) joining the cast as the major new addition, playing T’Challa’s son. The threequel is set for release on December 18, 2028.
Speaking on stage, Coogler revealed that he wanted to cast Jonsson after seeing his performance in “The Long Walk.” Black Panther 3” will be shot on “large-format celluloid film.”
Denzel Washington made headlines in November 2024 by confirming his involvement in “Black Panther 3.” There’s still no word on what his role might be—or whether he’s even still attached.
Coogler, who helmed the first two films, remains a central figure in Marvel’s long-term strategy, coming off the critical and box-office success of “Sinners,” which was also a multiple Oscar winner.
If we’d all like to see Coogler broaden his horizons by tackling more original stories, that will have to wait. A real shame, if you ask me.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was released in November 2022, and while it fell short of the original’s box-office numbers, it still became the highest-grossing MCU movie of the last five years, earning $859 million worldwide. The idea of a third film getting greenlit was a no-brainer.
On the television front, Coogler recently shot the pilot for his “X-Files” reboot. The series has yet to receive an official green light from Hulu.