Marvel Studios has confirmed actor David Jonsson will take on the role of the new Black Panther in the franchise’s third instalment, playing the adult son of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa nearly six years after the actor’s death.
Marvel has unveiled its new Black Panther, nearly six years after the death of Chadwick Boseman, who originated the role in 2018. At San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, director Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that actor David Jonsson, 32, will play the character in the upcoming Black Panther 3, taking on the role of T’Challa’s adult son rather than replacing Boseman’s original character. According to Vulture, the film is scheduled for release in cinemas on 15 December 2028.
A new generation, not a recast
Jonsson will not be stepping into Boseman’s original role as T’Challa. Instead, he will play the character first introduced as Toussaint in the post-credits scene of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, whose Wakandan name is also T’Challa. The announcement confirms that Marvel is continuing Boseman’s legacy through his character’s son, rather than recasting the original T’Challa following the actor’s death from colon cancer in August 2020, at the age of 43.
Coogler has said the third film will centre on a coming-of-age story, following the young Prince T’Challa as he grows into the mantle of Black Panther. The director also confirmed that Black Panther 3 will be filmed largely on 70mm celluloid film, rather than shot digitally.
The moment of the reveal
Footage shared by Vulture showed Coogler on stage in front of a large crowd, excitedly introducing “our new Black Panther” before Jonsson joined him, alongside Feige, Letitia Wright and Winston Duke. The audience responded with loud applause and cheers as Jonsson took to the stage, placing a hand over his heart during an emotional moment as he absorbed the reception.
“I want to say thank you so much,” Jonsson told the crowd. “Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you to this amazing family that I have the honor and privilege and blessing to join. I actually don’t want to say too much. Because I want to let this screen do the talking,” he added, gesturing behind him as the crowd cheered once more. “And believe me, the honor is entirely mine. Thank you.”
Letitia Wright said she was “so happy” for Jonsson, revealing the two already knew each other and that she was looking forward to helping guide him as he joined the Marvel family. She also confirmed that her character, Shuri, will remain a major part of the story going forward, despite Prince T’Challa taking on the role of Black Panther.
Daily Mail has reached out to Marvel Studios, along with representatives for Jonsson and Coogler, for further comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Jonsson’s career so far
Jonsson is already an established screen actor, with credits including Alien: Romulus (2024) and The Long Walk (2025). He has also played the character of Augustus “Gus” Sackey in the HBO series Industry.
The Black Panther legacy
Boseman first played T’Challa/Black Panther in the 2018 film, directed by Coogler, which became both a critical and commercial success, grossing more than $1 billion at the box office. The original cast included Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira and Martin Freeman. The film received seven Oscar nominations, winning Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design.
A sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was released in 2022, with Letitia Wright taking on the mantle of Black Panther as Shuri. Both Wright and Winston Duke are confirmed to return for the upcoming third film, which will also feature Denzel Washington. Coogler revealed that Washington’s role was written specifically for him, saying he had wanted to work with the Oscar-winning actor for years before finally bringing him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Alongside the Black Panther franchise, Coogler is also known for directing Creed (2015) and Sinners (2025).
