The events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as well as general MCU trends, make Black Panther 3 likely to happen eventually, though it may be some way off. Black Panther 2 is a movie structured around loss and grief, both in-universe and real life. After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, the movie reveals that his character, King T’Challa, has also died; what that leads to is art-as-life, a poignant tribute to both heroes that reckons with their legacy and ensures it will continue on in the MCU.

That’s something Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s story certainly sets up. As well as the death T’Challa, the movie also introduces a new Black Panther in the form of Shuri, a new MCU “villain” in Namor, and in the post-credits scene, Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Challa and Nakia. The film ends with the promise that “Black Panther will return,” which suggests Black Panther 3 will happen, and there are several story threads and character arcs for it to build upon in the MCU timeline.

The Latest Black Panther 3 News

As of now, Black Panther 3 has not been confirmed, so there is little news to go around. No casting announcements, trailers, story news, or release date has been revealed as of yet, but it’s possible that Shuri and other Black Panther characters could make an appearance before Black Panther 3, thanks to the Ironheart show coming to Disney+. Of course, some Black Panther characters will also be back for the next two Avengers films, Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, which will also be released long before Black Panther 3 comes to fruition.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s lead actor, Letitia Wright, revealed she had taken a break after the sequel (via Inverse), though did allude to Black Panther 3 as the “next one“, suggesting it may be regarded as a concrete possibility even within the MCU’s own crew. Wright’s break also makes a third movie yet more promising by suggesting that its potential lead has had time to recharge and put their all into the follow-up film when it’s made a reality.

While the movie then experienced a period of no updates that lead to some fears it may not be going forward, Letitia Wright provided another update on the situation in June 2024. When asked about her MCU character Shuri and her future in the role, the actor stated, “Let’s just say … I would like to continue with Shuri,” going on to respond to questions about Black Panther 3 by saying,“ There’s a lot to, a lot to — a lot coming up.”

Though this didn’t provide a great deal of new info, it does cement the idea that things are still in the same place when it comes to a third movie. Indeed, the quote does suggest both that more would need to develop behind the scenes before the actors who would be involved could divulge much about it, and also potentially that the upcoming Black Panther series may also shed more light on what the future may hold for characters like Shuri.

Black Panther 3 Hasn’t Been Confirmed

It isn’t unexpected that Black Panther 3 hasn’t been confirmed, as Marvel typically waits before announcing new projects (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever itself wasn’t officially confirmed by Kevin Feige until San Diego Comic-Con 2019, well over a year after the first movie’s release). It’s often a given with MCU movies that a sequel will happen, and producer Nate Moore confirmed Black Panther 3 ideas have been discussed but that there’ll be a waiting period before any decision is made.

Moreover, Disney’s new release plan for the MCU makes a third Black Panther movie more likely. The studio will focus on established brands and sequels instead of introducing so many new IPs in quick succession. Given the impressive box office performance of Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a sequel seems like a smart and safe financial bet.

Similarly, the decision to greenlight several upcoming Black Panther series suggests this side of the franchise will be a consistent focus going forward, which lends itself to the idea that Black Panther 3 is on the horizon. Thus far, this appears to include Ryan Coogler’s Wakanda-based show, a series about Okoye which is currently unnamed, and Eyes Of Wakanda, an animated series focused around the history of the country and its warriors. As such, these impending releases bode well for fleshing out more about Wakanda and the history of the Black Panther mantle before a third MCU movie.

Black Panther 3 Release Date

As it currently stands, there is no Black Panther 3 release date since Marvel is yet to officially confirm the sequel. Assuming that does happen, then the sequel is still likely a few years off. The MCU has grown to be more expansive and already has a packed slate running that includes movies releasing through 2027. Still, Marvel does have several unfilled release dates in 2025-2027. However, given there’s been no word on a script being worked on or other early pre-production, Black Panther 3 seems more likely for the MCU Phase 7 or later.

Black Panther 3 Cast

Since the movie hasn’t been officially greenlit, there is no prescribed Black Panther 3 cast. That being said, most of the Black Panther cast carried over to Wakanda Forever, including Letitia Wright’s Shuri, Angela Bassett’s Ramonda, Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, and Winston Duke’s M’Baku. Though Ramonda dies in Wakanda Forever, it seems likely the rest will reprise their roles for Black Panther 3. Namor’s (Tenoch Huerta) storyline also seems poised to continue, though it’s unclear if it’ll be in a Black Panther sequel or elsewhere.

Namor has close ties with the Fantastic Four as both an ally and enemy, so it’s possible he could appear in the upcoming The Fantastic Four reboot or a sequel.

Black Panther 3 Story

There are several ways Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sets up the Black Panther 3 story. At the very end of the movie, M’Baku makes a challenge for the throne, and Black Panther 3‘s story could deal with the fallout of that, whether he becomes King, and what this would mean for Wakanda. Beyond the throne, there’s still more to explore with Shuri being the new Black Panther, likely introducing new enemies for her to fight. Even Doctor Doom could continue the trend of secretive nations gaining national attention.

With Black Panther 2 introducing the Midnight Angels, whose biggest foe in the comics is Doom, then he may be a villain option for Black Panther 3 (especially if it releases before Avengers: Secret Wars to set him up for that). On top of that, there is Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Challa and Nakia. It’s unclear exactly what his role would be as he is still a young child, but if the sequel has a considerable time jump it could give him a bigger part to play. he could even join the teased but yet to form MCU Young Avengers.

Interestingly, Letitia Wright has also suggested a potential story avenue for Black Panther 3 to follow up on by mentioning that, in the comics, Shuri “actually takes on a new form in the future… She really never dies, which is really interesting. She has these amazing crazy superpowers, and she’s an encyclopedia of information” (via Inverse). Given the “new form” also ties into the events of the 2015 comic Secret Wars, this avenue would likely see the hero’s next story take place after Avengers 6.

Black Panther 3 Trailer

Black Panther 3 hasn’t been greenlit yet, meaning there is no Black Panther 3 trailer, promotional stills, or BTS photos to speak of. Likely news for Black Panther 3 won’t break until after Avengers: Kang Dynasty comes out in 2025, but this has yet to actually be determined. In the meantime, the Disney+ Ironheart series might bring back key Black Panther characters into the foray.

When Will Black Panther Appear Next In The MCU?

Shuri as Black Panther may return before Black Panther 3, with a couple of clear options. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will be a major team-up event, and so having Black Panther return for that alongside the rest of the MCU’s biggest heroes would make a lot of sense. It’s also plausible there could be a Black Panther cameo in Ironheart’s Disney+ show, given Shuri and Riri Williams become close in Black Panther 2, but that would likely be a more limited role. Either way, Black Panther could be seen again before Black Panther 3.