British actor David Jonsson has officially been announced as the new Black Panther, joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe six years after the death of Chadwick Boseman, who famously originated the role.
Marvel Studios made the announcement during its Hall H presentation at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday, where it also confirmed that Black Panther 3 is scheduled to hit cinemas on December 15, 2028.
Jonsson, 32, will portray Prince T’Challa II, also known as Toussaint, the son of King T’Challa and Nakia, the character played by Lupita Nyong’o.
Toussaint first appeared as a young boy in the closing moments of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, released in 2022. The upcoming instalment will follow his journey into adulthood.
The British star has gained recognition for his performances in Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk, the BBC and HBO drama Industry, and the romantic comedy Rye Lane.
Boseman, who brought T’Challa to life in the MCU, died in 2020 at the age of 43 after privately battling colon cancer. Despite his illness, he continued filming several projects without publicly revealing his diagnosis.
His passing occurred while Marvel was developing a sequel to the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther, which earned more than $1.3 billion globally and became the first superhero film to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Rather than recasting Boseman’s character, Marvel chose to continue the story through Letitia Wright’s Shuri, who assumed the Black Panther mantle in Wakanda Forever. Her performance helped Angela Bassett secure the first Oscar nomination ever received by an actor for a Marvel film.
Wright is expected to reprise her role as Shuri in the third instalment, alongside Winston Duke, who returns as M’Baku.
Prompt News reports Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington has also joined the cast in an undisclosed role, marking his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Jonsson’s appointment 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.
Filmmaker Ryan Coogler will once again direct the project, completing the trilogy he launched with the original Black Panther in 2018.
