Denzel Washington has dropped a surprising bit of movie news while on tour promoting his role in Gladiator 2: director/writer Ryan Coogler is writing him a role in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther 3. Also of note? Marvel Studios is developing Black Panther 3.
The news comes via the Australian version of Today, which caught up with Washington for the soon-to-be-in-theaters movie. While he didn’t mention much about the Black Panther 3 role, he did discuss how he’s trying to shake up this portion of his career.
“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best, I don’t know how many more films I will make, probably not that many,” Washington said. “I want to do things that I haven’t done. I played Othello at 22, I’m now going to play it at 70. After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.”
That was pretty much it in terms of info, but it seems likely that Washington is, indeed, having a part written for him in Black Panther 3. Back in 2023, Letitia Wright — who plays Shuri — told Variety at the Golden Globes that “I think it’s already in the works” and that after the emotional grand guignol of making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, “We need a little bit of a break, we need to regroup, and Ryan [Coogler] needs to get back into the lab.”
Still, despite that being nearly two years ago now, Marvel has yet to officially announce that Black Panther 3 is in the works. In the meantime, we’ve gotten word that spinoff Ironheart is hitting Disney+ on a TBA date in 2025. And Eyes of Wakanda, a four-episode animated series jumping throughout Wakandan history from Coogler will also land on Disney+ sometime in 2025.
As for further details, including Washington’s role in the movie? That’s TBA. Though it also likely effectively shuts down the wildly incorrect rumor that was bumping around back in October about Washington playing Dormammu in Doctor Strange 3.
Regardless, there is one thing we know for sure… If there is a Black Panther 3, and Denzel Washington ends up actually in the movie: Oscar nom incoming.
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