Director Ryan Coogler also revealed that the film will be shot entirely on larger format celluloid film, marking an MCU first.
David Jonsson Steps Into the Crown as T’Challa II
The next chapter of Wakanda’s cinematic journey has its leading man. David Jonsson will play T’Challa’s grown son, a character first introduced to audiences at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever by Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia. Back then, the young prince was known as Toussaint, also known as T’Challa II.
Director Ryan Coogler took to the stage at San Diego Comic-Con to introduce Jonsson to the crowd. Jonsson steps into the role with eyes firmly set on the crown of Wakanda as the character comes of age in the upcoming sequel. The casting adds another major screen credit to Jonsson’s rising profile following his appearances in last year’s The Long Walk and 2024’s Alien: Romulus, alongside earlier standout turns in HBO’s Industry and the film Rye Lane.
A Late-December Release and a Celluloid Milestone
Marvel has marked December 15, 2028, on the calendar for the film’s theatrical debut. Alongside the scheduling news, Coogler confirmed a technical first for the Marvel Cinematic Universe: BP3 will be shot entirely on larger format celluloid film.
Denzel Washington is also confirmed to be in the cast as previously announced, joining returning franchise fixtures Letitia Wright and Winston Duke, who joined Coogler, Kevin Feige, and Jonsson on the convention center stage.
Building on a Multi-Billion-Dollar Legacy
The upcoming film carries forward a massive commercial and cultural footprint left by its predecessors. The first Black Panther released in 2018 grossed $1.3 billion and won three Oscars, launching Chadwick Boseman into global stardom as the leader of Wakanda before his death from cancer in August 2020.
When the sequel, Wakanda Forever, arrived in 2022, it directly addressed the off-screen tragedy by playing out the events of T’Challa’s death within the narrative. Carter’s costume design, cementing her as the first Black woman to win two Oscars.
The Road Ahead to 2028
The combination of larger-format celluloid cinematography, the introduction of an adult T’Challa II played by Jonsson, and the return of foundational cast members sets a distinct creative direction for the studio’s return to the fictional nation.
