The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth of a franchise, one that's showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will know that a few properties stand out as fan favorites, including Ryan Coogler's Black Panther (streaming now with a Disney+ subscription). The fandom is wondering what the acclaimed filmmaker might have up his sleeve for the third movie, with actor Damson Idris currently rumored to be taking on the role of T'Challa from late actor Chadwick Boseman. He keeps getting asked about this, and once again provided a charming response.
What we know about Black Panther 3 is basically nothing, leading fans to fill in the blanks and rumors to fly. Still it's one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies, and Idris has charmingly addressed rumors of him playing T'Challa before. The subject once again came up during the actor's recent appearance on TODAY, and you can watch him dodge the question in the below video:
Clearly the Snowfall actor has been media trained, and knows how to be interviewed without giving away too much. While Damson Idris admits he would agree to join Black Panther 3 if asked, he neither confirms nor denies being in talks to join the MCU. And the way he could deliver "no-yes" as a non answer is truly something.
Marvel fans have wanted to see Idris join the shared universe for a while now. He was at the top of list for actors who could replace Jonathan Majors as Kang... before the studio abandoned its plans for the character altogether. We'll just have to wait and see whether or not he actually plays the new T'Challa as he's rumored to.
After the ending of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, there are a number of questions about Ryan Coogler's franchise. The titular fictional country was left without a ruler, although it's heavily implied that Winston Duke's M'Baku might be vying for the Throne. The reveal of T'Challa's son also further complicates this question, as he'll likely have his own claim as King. But we haven't heard any news about Wakanda since that acclaimed sequel hit theaters in 2022.
Since T'Challa died in-universe prior to Wakanda Forever, the idea of him being recast is a complicated one. Some fans like that Boseman was honored in this way, while others think the character is too important to retire. With the multiverse currently in play, there is the opportunity for another actor to play the Black Panther as a variant. But only time will tell if this happens, and if Damson Idris is the one to take on the mantle.
Both Black Panther movies are streaming now on Disney+, and the next MCU movie hitting theaters is The Fantastic Four: Fist Steps on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list. The next two Avengers movies are coming, and it seems like just about anything could happen.
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