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Black Panther 3 Is Officially Coming—and Denzel Washington Says He’s In

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Yes. Black Panther 3 is now an officially announced Marvel Studios film, not just a rumor. Marvel revealed it at its July 25, 2026 San Diego Comic-Con presentation, naming Ryan Coogler as returning director, introducing David Jonsson as the new Black Panther, and setting a theatrical release for December 15, 2028. Denzel Washington’s involvement is supported by his own November 2024 statement that Coogler was writing a part for him. Marvel’s 2026 announcement, however, did not identify Washington or his character, so his appearance is best described as expected from his public comments rather than as a fully detailed studio casting announcement.

Is Black Panther 3 officially confirmed?

Yes. Marvel Studios formally announced the third film at its July 25, 2026 San Diego Comic-Con presentation. The announcement ended the earlier period in which the project was discussed mainly through development reports and public comments. The Walt Disney Company’s account of the presentation identified Ryan Coogler as returning to direct, David Jonsson as the new Black Panther, and December 15, 2028 as the theatrical release date.

The Associated Press independently reported the Comic-Con reveal on July 26, 2026. Its report also described Jonsson as T’Challa’s son and repeated the December 15, 2028 date. That independent account matters because it confirms that the project was not merely a rumor circulating online or an unverified trade report.

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Marvel has therefore confirmed the existence, director, lead mantle successor and planned theatrical window. It has not publicly supplied a complete cast list, a plot synopsis, a trailer, production start details or a character name for Washington in the cited announcement.

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Is Denzel Washington really in Black Panther 3?

Washington has said that he is involved, but the precise status of his casting needs careful wording. On November 12, 2024, TheWrap reported Washington saying: “After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’” That is a direct statement from the actor about a role being written for him.

At the time, Marvel had not announced the third movie publicly. The statement was consequently evidence of Washington’s expected participation, not a studio confirmation of a finished casting package. Marvel’s July 2026 Comic-Con announcement confirmed the film and several key creative details, but the cited Disney release did not name Washington or identify the part.

The most accurate answer to “Is Denzel Washington in it?” is therefore: Washington says Ryan Coogler wrote a part for him, and he is expected to appear on that basis. It is not accurate to state that Marvel’s Comic-Con announcement formally revealed his character, because that information was not included in the cited announcement.

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What did Marvel reveal at San Diego Comic-Con?

The July 25, 2026 presentation supplied four pieces of information that had previously been unsettled: the film is an official Marvel Studios production; Coogler is returning as director; Jonsson is taking up the Black Panther mantle; and the movie has a dated theatrical release.

  • Project status: Marvel presented the third film as part of its official slate.
  • Director: Ryan Coogler is returning to direct.
  • New Black Panther: David Jonsson was introduced as the character’s new on-screen bearer.
  • Release: The planned theatrical date is December 15, 2028.

The Associated Press report the following day added the family connection, describing Jonsson’s character as T’Challa’s son. Neither report supplied a detailed synopsis, villain, supporting-cast list or explanation of how Washington’s role fits into the story.

When does Black Panther 3 come out?

Marvel’s announced theatrical date is December 15, 2028. The date was reported by both The Walt Disney Company on July 25, 2026 and the Associated Press on July 26, 2026, so it is the current official target rather than a date inferred from a production rumor.

A scheduled date is not the same thing as a guarantee that the release cannot move. Film calendars can change as production, post-production and distribution plans develop. Until Marvel announces a revision, December 15, 2028 is the date audiences should use when planning for a cinema release.

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The announcement specifies theaters. It does not establish a streaming launch date, home-video timing, regional variations or ticket-sale availability.

Who is the new Black Panther?

David Jonsson is the announced new Black Panther. The Associated Press identified him as T’Challa’s son, making the announcement a clear indication that the mantle is moving to the next generation of the story’s central family.

This is a casting and character announcement, not a full explanation of the film’s plot. Marvel has not, in the cited material, described the circumstances of the transition, the character’s age, the extent of his powers, or how the story will connect him to the events of the earlier films. Readers should avoid filling those gaps with fan theories presented as news.

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Jonsson’s announcement also does not erase the importance of the earlier films. The Associated Press reported that the 2018 Black Panther earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide, while Black Panther: Wakanda Forever earned $850 million worldwide. Those figures are AP’s reported worldwide totals and provide commercial context for why a new film carries substantial audience interest, but they do not predict the third film’s eventual performance.

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Is Ryan Coogler directing the third film?

Yes. The Walt Disney Company’s Comic-Con announcement named Ryan Coogler as returning director. That makes his return an official creative detail, unlike earlier speculation about who might lead the project.

Coogler’s connection to Washington is also the basis for the actor’s 2024 comments: Washington said Coogler was writing a part for him. The announcement confirms Coogler’s directing role, but it does not say whether Washington’s character is a hero, antagonist, ally, elder, ruler or any other specific type of figure.

What role will Denzel Washington play?

No role or character name has been officially identified in the cited Marvel announcement. Washington’s own wording says that Coogler was writing “a part” for him; it does not name the character, reveal the character’s allegiance or describe the size of the role.

That distinction is important because a public statement about a role being written is not the same as a studio-issued character announcement. Until Marvel or Washington provides a name and an official description, reports should avoid presenting a fan theory or an unnamed rumor as fact.

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The confirmed information can be separated cleanly: Washington publicly said Coogler was writing a role for him in the next Black Panther; Marvel later confirmed the film, Coogler’s return, Jonsson’s new mantle and the 2028 date; Marvel’s cited announcement did not identify Washington’s part.

How did the 2024 and 2026 reports differ?

Question November 2024 report July 2026 announcement
Who was speaking? Denzel Washington, in comments reported by TheWrap. Marvel Studios, through The Walt Disney Company’s Comic-Con report.
What was established? Washington said Coogler was writing a role for him. The film was officially revealed, with Coogler returning to direct.
Was a release date available? No public Marvel date had been announced. December 15, 2028 was announced for theaters.
Was the new Black Panther identified? No. David Jonsson was introduced as the new Black Panther and described by AP as T’Challa’s son.
Was Washington’s character named? No. No; the cited studio announcement still did not identify the role.

The reports answer different questions. Washington’s 2024 comment addressed his expected participation while the project was not yet publicly announced. Marvel’s 2026 presentation established the movie as an official, dated theatrical release and supplied the mantle successor, but it did not add a Washington character description.

Why does the announcement matter to the franchise?

The announcement resolves the most basic uncertainty: there will be a third Marvel Studios Black Panther film in the official slate. It also establishes a creative continuity point by bringing Coogler back and a story-direction point by placing the Black Panther identity with T’Challa’s son, as reported by the Associated Press.

The commercial history explains the level of attention without turning past grosses into a forecast. AP reported worldwide totals of more than $1.3 billion for the 2018 film and $850 million for Wakanda Forever. Those are historical figures for the earlier movies, not a guarantee about ticket sales in 2028.

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For viewers, the practical implication is that future updates should be sorted into three categories: information formally released by Marvel, statements made by named participants, and speculation. The first category currently contains the film, director, Jonsson’s mantle and the release date. Washington’s involvement belongs in the second category until Marvel publishes a fuller cast announcement.

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What remains unknown about the movie?

The public announcement leaves several ordinary production questions unanswered:

  • Washington’s character name, powers, allegiance and screen-time scope.
  • The film’s plot, setting, principal conflict and supporting cast.
  • The start date for filming and the stage of production as of the announcement.
  • Whether the December 15, 2028 date will remain unchanged.
  • The trailer schedule, ticket-sale timing and eventual home-entertainment or streaming plans.
  • Any additional returning cast members beyond the details cited by Disney and AP.

None of these gaps disproves Washington’s statement or weakens the official confirmation of the film. They simply mark the boundary between what has been announced and what has not.

How should fans read new casting reports?

Check whether a report quotes Marvel, Washington, Coogler or another named representative, and whether it distinguishes a direct statement from anonymous speculation. A headline saying Washington “is in” the film may be shorthand for his 2024 comments, but it should not be expanded into a character identity that no cited source has supplied.

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Likewise, treat December 15, 2028 as the current announced theatrical target, not as an immutable promise. A later Marvel schedule update would supersede the date reported in July 2026. Until then, the official baseline remains Coogler directing, Jonsson as the new Black Panther, and Washington expected to appear based on his own statement.

What can viewers watch while waiting?

The two released films provide the existing screen history for the character and the franchise’s commercial context. The 2018 movie and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are the relevant completed entries; the third film is scheduled for theaters in 2028 and has not been given a public streaming or home-release date in the cited material.

Because no title-specific physical edition or streaming arrangement is established here, readers should rely on current listings from licensed distributors when those plans are announced rather than assume that a generic franchise product represents the third film.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Marvel announce a trailer for the third film?

No trailer is identified in the July 2026 announcement covered here. The confirmed information is the project’s existence, its director, the new Black Panther and the theatrical date.

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Is David Jonsson playing T’Challa?

The Associated Press describes Jonsson as T’Challa’s son and as the new Black Panther. That wording indicates a successor to the mantle, not a statement that Jonsson is portraying T’Challa himself.

Was Washington’s quote made before Marvel announced the movie?

Yes. TheWrap reported his comments on November 12, 2024, when Marvel had not publicly announced the third film. The formal studio reveal came at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, 2026.

Are the earlier films’ box-office totals predictions for the new movie?

No. The more-than-$1.3 billion and $850 million figures reported by the Associated Press describe the first two films’ worldwide grosses. They are historical context, not a forecast for the 2028 release.

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Black Panther 3David JonssonDenzel WashingtonMarvel newsMarvel StudiosRyan Coogler

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