Marvel Studios Announces Its Ninth Threequel with Black Panther 3

Post By DJ Longers
September 14, 2026

‘Wakanda Forever’: Marvel Studios Announces Its Ninth Threequel with Black Panther 3

LOS ANGELES — Marvel Studios has officially announced that Black Panther 3 is in active production, marking the ninth sub-franchise threequel in the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The milestone confirmation, delivered during Marvel Studios’ massive San Diego Comic-Con Hall H showcase by producer Kevin Feige and director Ryan Coogler, locks in an official theatrical release date of 15th December 2028.

The announcement places Black Panther 3 alongside an elite tier of MCU sagas to achieve threequel status, following in the footsteps of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Deadpool, and the upcoming Doctor Strange trilogy.

Passing the Mantle: A New Generation Takes the Lead

The third installment will see British actor David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk) step into the spotlight as T'Challa II, the son of the late Chadwick Boseman’s iconic King T'Challa.

The character, who was first introduced as a child at the climax of 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, will come of age in the new film to claim his heritage and inherit the Black Panther suit.

Returning alongside Jonsson are core franchise alumni Letitia Wright as Shuri and Winston Duke as M'Baku. Meanwhile, Academy Award winner Denzel Washington is confirmed to join the ensemble in a role specifically written for him by Coogler.

"The last time we got to make a movie, we introduced a character who is the son of the character that the great Chadwick Boseman played," director Ryan Coogler told the crowd in Hall H. "In this next film, he grows up and he comes of age. I couldn't be prouder to welcome David to this family."

A Billion-Dollar Legacy

The Black Panther series stands as one of the most commercially and critically successful pillars in modern cinematic history.

The original 2018 film shattered box office records by grossing over $1.35 billion worldwide and securing seven Academy Award nominations, including a historic Best Picture nod. Its 2022 follow-up, Wakanda Forever, added another $859 million to the franchise total while navigating the tragic loss of Boseman.

With the combined total across both features standing above $2.2 billion, the third installment arrives as a guaranteed commercial juggernaut for Disney and Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios Threequel Franchise Tracker

Franchise Threequel	Release Year	Global Box Office Total (Trilogy)
Iron Man 3	2013	$2.42 Billion
Captain America: Civil War	2016	$2.23 Billion
Thor: Ragnarok	2017	$1.94 Billion (Pre-Love & Thunder)
Spider-Man: No Way Home	2021	$3.92 Billion
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania	2023	$1.61 Billion
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3	2023	$2.48 Billion
Deadpool & Wolverine	2024	$1.33 Billion+
Doctor Strange 3	Expected 2027/2028	Pending
Black Panther 3	15th December 2028	$2.21 Billion+ (To Date)

Strategic Position in Phase 6

Positioned on the release calendar following Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Black Panther 3 is slated to help anchor the narrative aftermath of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga as the studio prepares to usher in its long-awaited X-Men and Mutant era.

With principal photography scheduled to commence in late 2027 under Coogler's direction, fans can expect further casting announcements regarding Wakanda's future over the coming year.