David Jonsson Cast As New Black Panther, Marvel Confirms 2028 Release

British actor David Jonsson has been announced as the next Black Panther, becoming the first actor to take on the iconic superhero role since the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020.

Marvel Studios made the announcement during its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, where it also revealed that Black Panther 3 is scheduled for release in cinemas on December 15, 2028.

Jonsson, 32, will portray Prince T’Challa II, also known as Toussaint, the son of the late King T’Challa and Nakia, played by Lupita Nyong’o. The character was first introduced as a young boy in the closing moments of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and is expected to take centre stage as he comes of age in the upcoming film.

The British star has enjoyed a meteoric rise in Hollywood following acclaimed performances in Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk, Industry and Rye Lane.

Boseman, who brought T’Challa to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, died in 2020 at the age of 43 after privately battling colon cancer. His passing came while Marvel was developing a sequel to the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther, which grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide and became the first superhero movie to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

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Rather than recast Boseman’s T’Challa, Marvel chose to continue the story by having Letitia Wright’s Shuri inherit the Black Panther mantle in Wakanda Forever. The performance also earned Angela Bassett the distinction of becoming the first Marvel actor to receive an Oscar nomination.

Wright is set to reprise her role as Shuri in the third instalment alongside Winston Duke as M’Baku, while Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in an undisclosed role.

Jonsson’s casting brings an end to years of speculation over the future of the Black Panther franchise, with Marvel opting to continue the legacy through T’Challa’s son instead of replacing Boseman’s original character.

Ryan Coogler, who directed the first two films in the series, will return to helm Black Panther 3, completing the trilogy he launched in 2018.