The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine, consistently releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Folks who have watched the Marvel movies in order know that certain franchises stand out as fan favorites, chief among them being Ryan Coogler's Black Panther. And actor Damson Idris recently responded to calls for him to replace late actor Chadwick Boseman in upcoming Marvel movies. Let's break it all down.
Chadwick Boseman's sudden death shocked his fans and friends alike, with Ryan Coogler changing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to honor his legacy. Idris has been asked about playing T'Challa before, and in an interview with Variety at the 2026 Golden Globes he got real about the chatter, 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.
Sounds like a healthy perspective. While the star of F1 has heard the chatter and is honored by fans wanting him to play T'Challa, it sounds like there's no plans for that casting to actually happen. Although he admitted he's a Black Panther fan just like the rest of us. We'll just have to wait and see what Coogler has planned for the developing threequel.
Shortly after the Masrshall actor died, a debate began about whether or not to replace Chadwick Boseman and continue T'Challa's story. The decision was made to kill off the character, with both the characters and cast doing a meditation on grief throughout the sequel Wakanda Forever. But with the multiverse in play, it still seems like just about anything is possible in the MCU.
Chadwick Boseman's tenure as the character ended with What If...? which was recorded prior to this death. But the character T'Challa means a great deal to fans, which is why some of them want to see another character take on the mantle. As such, the debate about who could replace him will likely continue... with Damson Idris' name continuing to be dropped online.
Fans are curious about what Ryan Coogler is planning for Black Panther 3, which is seemingly still in its early stages of development. Not much is known about what might go down in the threequel, although Denzel Washington revealed that a role is being written for him. This news broke the internet, and fans are curious about exactly who he might play.
It's currently unclear when Black Panther 3 will hit theaters. But a number of characters from Wakanda are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, which will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.
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