Marvel Studios is making a third Black Panther movie, and it opens in theaters on December 15, 2028. Ryan Coogler returns to direct. Kevin Feige brought him out to close Marvel’s Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con 2026.
Coogler then walked out Letitia Wright and Winston Duke, who confirmed the date. The reveal nobody expected came right after. David Jonsson is the new Black Panther.
Who is the new Black Panther?
Jonsson starred in Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk. He’s playing T’Challa’s son, the character Coogler introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Coogler laid out the arc on stage. “The last time we got to make a movie, we introduced a character who is the son of the character that the great Chadwick Boseman played, our T’Challa, in that film,” he said. “And today, I want to tell you that in this next film, he grows up [and] he comes of age.”
Jonsson stepped out to a standing ovation, then kept his remarks short. “I actually don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking,” he told the room. “But believe me, the honor is entirely mine.”
Coogler’s history with Wakanda
Coogler directed 2018’s Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa. He came back for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022, which moved Wright’s Shuri to the center of the story. He also co-produced the 2025 Marvel series Ironheart and Eyes of Wakanda, both streaming on Disney+.
What else Marvel announced in Hall H
Feige also introduced a brand new Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling, with Shawn Levy directing and a 2028 release. I broke that one down in my Ghost Rider announcement story, along with the Avengers: Doomsday mega-panel and Jon Bernthal’s surprise appearance.
What this means for park fans
Marvel tied none of this to a ride, a land, or a park event. What you get instead is a calendar. Avengers: Doomsday opens December 18, 2026, and both 2028 films land after it.
That December 15, 2028 date drops Black Panther 3 into the thick of holiday season at the parks. Marvel’s screen news usually turns physical at Avengers Campus first, so the Disney California Adventure side is where I’d watch for merchandise or overlay news. If you’re planning a December 2028 trip, expect Marvel to be loud on property that month.
Source: The Walt Disney Company and Marvel
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