Ryan Coogler's third installment in the Black Panther franchise reached a new turning point. Expected to be one of Marvel Studios' first major releases following Avengers: Secret Wars, the film has been generating buzz about whether a new actor will step into the role of T'Challa following the late Chadwick Boseman.
Marvel Studios filed Fragment Productions LLC as the official production company for Black Panther 3, a listing now publicly accessible on the SAG-AFTRA website. The filing tells fans that the project is actively moving forward behind the scenes, with a 2028 release window appearing increasingly likely.
Marvel Studios recently reshuffled its Phase 7 release slate, with open dates set for 2028 (May 5, July 28, and December 15) and 2029 (May 4 and July 13). Because Black Panther 3 was filed ahead of the upcoming X-Men reboot, May 5, 2028, stands out as the most probable release date for Ryan Coogler's threequel.
Over the next two years, Marvel Studios will produce and distribute only two films, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, with Sony Pictures handling the bulk of production and distribution for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Black Panther 3 and the X-Men reboot, the latter being helmed by director Jake Schreier, are the only two post-Avengers films with directors attached, making both strong candidates for 2028 releases regardless of their exact premiere dates.
The filing also arrives amid swirling speculation about the future of the Black Panther mantle.
A rumor from Jeff Sneider in early 2025 suggested Marvel Studios had reopened discussions about recasting T'Challa, the role made iconic by the late Chadwick Boseman, potentially through the Multiverse. Should a recast occur, it could happen as early as Secret Wars, setting the stage for Black Panther 3.
F1: The Movie's Damson Idris emerged as a fan-favorite candidate for the part. However, an alternate theory suggests Idris may instead portray an older Prince T'Challa II, the son of Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and the late King T'Challa, rather than a direct replacement for Boseman's original character.
No matter who stars in the film, Coogler, coming off his first Academy Award win after writing and directing Sinners, has fans' anticipation for the next Black Panther through the roof. In the meantime, three Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stars are confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday: Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther, Winston Duke as M'Baku, and Tenoch Huerta as Namor.
Black Panther 3 Story Ideas
With Secret Wars expected to reshape the MCU's status quo, Black Panther 3 has no shortage of narrative directions to explore. The Multiversal event could introduce an all-new T'Challa, with any version of the character presumably seeing a new actor step into the heroic suit.
On top of a new Black Panther, it seems unlikely that the film won't include the likes of Shuri and M'Baku, the current King of Wakanda, as well.
For villains, the most buzzworthy rumor centers on Oscar-winning Denzel Washington. According to a recent rumor, Black Panther 3 may introduce Achebe, a character with strong ties to Wakanda, as the film's primary antagonist, with Coogler crafting the role specifically for Washington.
Unlike previous Wakandan villains defined by ideology or vengeance, Achebe is chaos personified, a psychologically dangerous figure who attacks stability and identity rather than launching conventional invasions.
Beyond the villain, Angela Bassett suggested that Queen Ramonda could return through the Ancestral Plane, which could add an emotional throughline for Shuri, who has seemingly lost all her family at this point in the MCU. Also, the Acentral Plane has played a huge role in both of Coogler's Black Panther films, so it's safe to say it'll return again.
