Marvel Studios’ presentation at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend delivered the expected fanfare around Avengers: Doomsday, along with a couple of genuine surprises.
The first was confirmation that Ryan Gosling has been cast as Ghost Rider in a new MCU film expected in cinemas in 2028. Longtime fans could hardly have been shocked, given how openly the actor has spoken about wanting the role, most commonly associated with the motorcycle stunt performer Johnny Blaze. He reaffirmed as much on stage at Comic-Con, calling it a character he had wanted to play for a long time. Nicolas Cage previously played Blaze in 2007’s Ghost Rider and its 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
The more surprising reveal, though, was the new Black Panther.
Honouring a Legacy
Following the death of Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43 in 2020, Marvel chose not to recast his character, T’Challa, who had appeared in Captain America: Civil War, the first Black Panther, and two Avengers films. Studio head Kevin Feige said at the time that Boseman’s performance was iconic and transcended any other iteration of the character in Marvel’s past, adding that the studio wanted to honour the legacy he helped build by continuing to explore Wakanda and the rich cast introduced in the first film. The series carried on without its lead, with director and co-writer Ryan Coogler helming the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which Letitia Wright’s Shuri took up the mantle.
Now 32-year-old British actor David Jonsson is set to inherit it, playing the adult son of T’Challa, Toussaint, also known as T’Challa II, who was introduced as a child in the post-credits scene of the second film. “I want you to give a warm welcome to our new Black Panther: Mr David Jonsson,” Coogler announced on stage.
Visibly moved, Jonsson thanked Coogler, Feige, and the wider team. “Thank you to this amazing family that I have the honour and privilege and the blessing to join,” he said. “I don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking, but believe me, the honour is entirely mine.”
From ‘Industry’ to Wakanda
London-born and RADA-trained, Jonsson rose to prominence playing Gus Sackey on the HBO hit Industry before earning acclaim in Rye Lane, Alien: Romulus, and last year’s adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian thriller The Long Walk. He also won the BAFTA Rising Star Award last year.
Wright said she was delighted by the casting, telling Entertainment Weekly that the news was beautiful to hear because of her personal connection to Jonsson. Seeing that come full circle, she said, was something she was still processing, and the two continued to check in with each other about it. Of her own character, she noted that Shuri now has the mantle to pass on, along with the guidance and wisdom that come with it.
A Star-Studded Third Film
Black Panther 3 will feature returning actors Wright and Winston Duke, as well as Denzel Washington, who has previously confirmed his involvement. Coogler returns to direct for a third time, following the critical and commercial success of Sinners, which set a record with 16 Oscar nominations this year and won four, including Best Original Screenplay for Coogler.
The franchise has a formidable track record. The first Black Panther earned $1.3 billion worldwide, became the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and was the first MCU film to win an Academy Award, taking three of its seven nominations for production design, costume design, and score. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever went on to become the highest-grossing MCU movie of the last five years, earning $859 million worldwide.
Black Panther 3 is set for release in cinemas on 15 December 2028.
