The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, one that consistently puts out new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. There are countless questions about the upcoming Marvel movies, including Ryan Coogler's third Black Panther movie. There have been casting rumors about who might replace late actor Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa (or another Panther), and they're once again swirling. What's more, one of the rumored candidates has even responded to the discourse.
Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall how news of Boseman's death shocked fans, and how Ryan Coogler had to completely rework Wakanda Forever as a result. While Letitia Wright's Shuri became the new Panther, there have been rumors as of late about someone else possibly playing Boseman's character T'Challa. They've once again returned to the internet with a new report by TheCosmicCircus, where scooper Alex Perez claimed the studio was looking at two names in particular. He alleges:
I cannot comment on this, but I know that they’re actively looking for the next Black Panther as we speak. And there are a couple of names that have been thrown around. John David Washington and Damson Idris are some top contenders.
Obviously, this is just a rumor at this point, and we should probably take it with a grain of salt for the time being. This report doesn't clarify if these actors would play T'Challa or a new Wakandan character, but it will likely still result in even more people tossing Damson Idris' name around online. We'll just have to wait and see what Coogler and Kevin Feige have up their sleeve for the developing third Black Panther movie.
Fans have already spent years wondering the threequel might entail, ever since Denzel Washington revealed that Ryan Coogler was writing a role for him. If another actor takes on the mantle of the Black Panther (or plays a multiversal variant of T'Challa), they're going to have some very big shoes to fill. Hopefully, we get more information about what Coogler is planning sooner rather than later.
What Damson Idris Has Previously Said About Black Panther
There has been chatter around Damson Idris possibly joining Black Panther for a while now. While the actor has dodged questions in interviews, back in January, Idris responded to fans who want him to follow in Chadwick Boseman's footsteps. He was quoted saying:
I am thankful to the fans. Of course, it’s rumors, but I love that movie. I love the world. And I’m glad everyone is seeing the future of that, too, because these movies have a brilliant direction. I’m excited for the third one.
Damson Idris also joked about turning down the role before, so it's unclear if there's any legitimacy to the rumors about him in Black Panther 3. Clearly, there's a ton of interest in Coogler's franchise, and for the Snowfall actor.
Of course, the latest rumor also claimed that John David Washington is also being considered. His star power has been steadily growing lately, including his starring role in Christopher Nolan's Tenet and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. We'll just have to wait and see if a replacement is actually cast, and who takes up the claws of Wakanda's protector.
The first two Black Panther movies are streaming now on Disney+, and a number of Wakandan characters will pop up in Avengers: Doomsday when it hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.
