Marvel Finally Confirms Black Panther 3 Release Window
Return to Wakanda draws closer: Black Panther 3 has a release window on the books, with Ryan Coogler back at the helm—even as Marvel Studios holds off on an exact date.
We finally have a real-ish timeline for Black Panther 3, and yes, it’s a ways off. But the pieces are moving, and some of them are surprisingly spicy.
The timeline (such as it is)
Marvel still hasn’t officially planted a flag for Black Panther 3, but The New York Times says the movie is expected to land in 2028. Marvel already has four untitled theatrical slots that year — February, May, November, and December — and hasn’t said which projects go where. So, it’s 2028, but the exact month is still a mystery.
Coogler is back and clearly amped
Ryan Coogler is back to direct the third film, which follows 2018’s Black Panther and 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He’s juggling another project called Sinners, but he told Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. that Black Panther 3 is the next movie he’ll make after that. And he’s not playing coy about his enthusiasm.
"I’m so fired up about that movie, bro."
"We’re working on it hard... Yeah, it’s the next movie."
Cast: who’s in, who’s likely, who’s TBD
Marvel hasn’t rolled out a cast list yet, but it’s a safe bet Letitia Wright will be back as Shuri — she’s already lined up for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, so she’s still very much in the mix. No word yet on whether Tenoch Huerta Mejia’s Namor or Winston Duke’s M’Baku will return.
The wild card is Denzel Washington. He let it slip during press for 2024’s Gladiator II that he was being lined up for a role, and Coogler has since confirmed that, yes, that’s real. The part itself is still under wraps.
Where this fits in Marvel’s 2028 shuffle
Marvel has a crowded 2028 on paper, and some of this will probably move around (because it always does). Beyond Black Panther 3, here’s what’s being developed and/or eyeing that year:
- Four untitled Marvel movies are parked on the 2028 calendar (February, May, November, December), with final titles still to be announced.
- Also in development: Jake Schreier’s X-Men movie; a sequel to Fantastic Four: The First Steps; and the long-delayed Blade. Whether all four of those actually arrive in 2028 is very much wait-and-see.
Bottom line: Black Panther 3 is coming, Ryan Coogler is locked in and fired up, Denzel Washington is circling a mystery role, and 2028 is the target. Exactly when in 2028? Marvel’s not saying yet — but the runway is there.