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Black Panther 3 release date speculation, cast, plot, and more news

Although Wakanda Forever has long since been and gone, there's plenty of appetite for a third movie: here's what we know about the Black Panther 3 release date.

When is the Black Panther 3 release date? Following the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman, the future of the Black Panther series looked uncertain. Yet, with the release of Wakanda Forever, it was clear that Boseman’s legacy was secure.

Wakanda Forever, the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Although if you’re watching all the Marvel movies in order, it’s 40th), saw Shuri take up the mantle of one of everyone’s favorite Marvel characters and become the new Black Panther.

The film received a warm reception on the whole, with our own Charlotte Colombo writing in her Black Panther 2 review that it was one of the best superhero movies, which would help elevate the genre to a new level. So when will Shuri and the rest of the Black Panther cast return? Is Black Panther 3 on a list of upcoming Marvel movies? Well, don’t worry, we’ve all the answers you’re looking for ahead. Here’s what you need to know about the Black Panther 3 release date.

Black Panther 3 release date speculation

Black Panther 3 hasn’t been announced yet, but we’re holding out hope that we’ll see the protector of Wakanda again as soon as 2026.

The Black Panther 2 post-credit scene included a title card saying, “Black Panther will return,” so we know that there are good intentions over at Marvel. But it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to watch a third movie in the near future.

This is because we should bear in mind the four-year gap between Black Panther and Black Panther 2. Although things like the pandemic and Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing led to the film experiencing some delays, a lot of announcements for Marvel’s Phase 5 and beyond have already happened, and it’s worth bearing in mind that the next few years of Marvel movies are already looking pretty packed.

Still, that doesn’t mean we won’t see Shuri or other Wakandans pop up in other movies or Marvel series, especially given their connection to Ironheart.

Black Panther 3 release date: Ramonda in Black Panther 2

Black Panther 3 cast speculation

If Black Panther 3 is greenlit, we can expect the return of Shuri (Letitia Wright), Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke), and Aneka (Michaela Coel), among others.

As far as the rest of the Black Panther cast goes, we might even see Okoye’s “favorite colonizer,” Everett Ross (Martin Freeman). Either way, if we get another movie, here’s who we expect to return.

Here’s the expected Black Panther 3 cast list:

  • Letitia Wright as Shuri
  • Winston Duke as M’Baku
  • Danai Gurira as Okoye
  • Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
  • Florence Kasumba as Ayo
  • Michaela Coel as Aneka
  • Tenoch Huerta as Namor
  • Martin Freeman as CIA operative Everett Ross

It’s all well and good knowing who the cast is, but what about their characters? Fear not, as you can find out more about the best Black Panther characters here, or if you want to know more about Wakanda’s special metal, we have an article all about Vibranium.

Black Panther 3 release date: Shuri and Okoye in Black Panther 2

What’s Black Panther 3 about?

Black Panther 2 left us with a lot of possible ideas for a third movie. With the post-credit scene revealing that T’Challa had a son, it is possible that a future MCU movie might focus on him grown up and ready to take on the Black Panther mantle himself.

However, that seems a long way away, so we’re probably looking too far ahead — Black Panther 3 would most likely focus on Shuri‘s adventures as the new Black Panther, given that Black Panther 2 essentially involved her taking on the mantle for the first time. With Shuri as Black Panther, there are two Marvel Comics storylines that, judging by the way Phase 5 and Phase 6 are being built up, seem most likely to be adapted by Marvel Studios.

One comic book storyline that is directly related to the Avengers: Secret Wars saga the MCU is building up to is the growing threat of incursions and their potential to impact Earth-616 and its existence. In New Avengers Volume 3, Namor the Sub-Mariner establishes a task force known as the Cabal.

The group took over Wakanda and used it as a base for their divisive mission of destroying incoming Earths in order to prevent the possibility of incoming incursions. With Shuri being against the Cabal in the comics, this storyline sets the scene for her and Namor to go head to head once again, as the Black Panther’s sacred duty is to protect Wakanda.

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Another comic book storyline in which the Black Panther is heavily involved in is Doomwar, where Deadpool assembles a team of Marvel heroes, including the Black Panther, to help him take down Doctor Doom. It’s been all but confirmed that Doctor Doom will be heading to the MCU, given his involvement with both Secret Wars storylines and his status as the arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four (who are also heading to the MCU with their own solo movie).

We also know that Ryan Coogler is a big fan of Doctor Doom, so much so that many asked: is Doctor Doom in Black Panther 2? Also, in the comics, he and Namor aren’t exactly on great terms, given that Doom turned down Namor’s offer to team up and save Earth-616 from the ongoing threat of incursions.

So, we’re betting the establishment of the Cabal, Doomwar, or some kind of mixture of the two will be the focus of a third Black Panther movie, or at least will play a part in Phase 5 or 6 movies or a Marvel series.

Black Panther 3 release date speculation: Shuri

Is there a trailer for Black Panther 3?

Since the movie hasn’t yet been announced, there isn’t a trailer for Black Panther 3 yet, and likely won’t be one until at least 2025.

The movie needs to be developed and filmed first, and Marvel does have other projects they need to finish up beforehand. We’ll keep an eye out for trailers and news for you, so in the meantime, you can sit back, relax, and check out one of our favorite scenes from the original movie below! Ah, good times.

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Where can I watch Black Panther 3?

When it comes out, expect to see Black Panther in theaters before it lands on Disney Plus.

Most of the Marvel movies have big theatrical releases before they end up on one of the best streaming services around. So when the time comes, you should be able to see the latest in Black Panther adventures on the big screen as they should be viewed.

If you want more film goodness, check out our list of the best movies ever made, or we have a guide to all the new movies coming in 2023. Not only that, we’ve done deep dives into all the soon-to-come superhero films, so here’s everything you need to know about the Loki season 2 release date and The Marvels release date.

If that’s not enough, you can take a look at all the best Marvel villains and our feature on why Marvel needs to learn that killing characters isn’t everything.