'It's news to us': Black Panther 3 producer responds to rumors that the Marvel movie's titular hero will be played by a different actor for the third time

T'Challa walks towards Killmonger and his men after downing an enemy ship in 2018's Black Panther film

Marvel hasn't thought about recasting T'Challa, who was played by the late Chadwick Boseman, yet (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Marvel isn't actively looking to find another actor to play T'Challa in Black Panther 3
Industry insiders have suggested the comic giant is planning to recast the character
However, no discussions have taken place yet, according to one of its producers

Marvel isn't actively looking for another actor to replace the late Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in its cinematic universe.

That's according to Nate Moore, who told TechRadar that the comic book titan hadn't discussed the prospect of recasting the character for Black Panther 3. Moore, who's among the film's many producers, said fans should ignore recent rumors that Marvel was finally ready to cast another actor as T'Challa and, in the process, hand the Black Panther mantle to another star for the third time.

Boseman passed away in August 2020 after privately battling bowel cancer. In the years since the beloved actor's death, Marvel has batted away questions that it would recast T'Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Indeed, speculation was rife about who would replace Boseman as T'Challa in the months prior to principal photography beginning on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the 2022 sequel to 2018's multi-billion dollar-making and 2019 Best Picture Oscar nominee Black Panther. As it turned out, Marvel decided not to recast T'Challa and, as part of Wakanda Forever's plot, passed the African nation's protector-in-chief role onto Letitia Wright's Shuri, aka T'Challa's sister.

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The new Black Panther stands in a cave in the Jabari tribe's territory in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Shuri adopted the Black Panther superhero mantle in Wakanda Forever (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

With Marvel now confirming Black Panther 3 is in early development – studio head Kevin Feige admitted it was in the wake of Denzel Washington accidentally stating he'd have a role in it – the recasting rumor mill has restarted. In January, MCU leaker Jeff Sneider claimed Marvel had offered the role to an unnamed actor, but they turned it down due to their concerns with filling Boseman's iconic shoes. MyTimeToShineHello, another insider with a questionable track record for leaking information about Marvel projects, has also suggested that Marvel wants to find an actor to play T'Challa's son (also named T'Challa), who viewers met in Wakanda Forever's mid-credits scene.

T'Challa stares down at his clawed hands in his superhero suit in a promotional image for Marvel's Black Panther — Chadwick Boseman appeared as T'Challa/Black Panther three times before his unexpected death (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Moore, though, is clearly baffled by the hearsay surrounding any casting news about the studio's next Black Panther film. When I asked if he could comment on the rumors, Moore smiled and said: "There's no truth to those rumors.

"To be honest, Ryan [Coogler, director of the Black Panther franchise], is knee-deep on [his next movie] Sinners, so he hasn't really started cracking the story with us. So, it's funny to read all those reports online of the villains, casting rumors, and this and that. It's news to all of us.

"What I will say is that it speaks to how much the fans love that property," he continued. "We should be so lucky for fans to be interested in it and want to know what's happening. I can honestly say we haven't done anything, so any reports are false, but I do look forward to getting back into it with Ryan once he's ready."

It's funny to read all those reports online of the villains, casting rumors, and this and that. It's news to all of us
Nate Moore, Black Panther 3 producer

It'll be a long time before we see Black Panther 3, but it's possible that T'Challa's aged-up son could feature in one of the next two Avengers movies if Marvel wants to include him. Filming is reportedly expected to start on the first of those films – Avengers: Doomsday – in March, so maybe we'll learn more then.

Regardless of whether T'Challa's son appears in either or both films, there will be a new Black Panther production to enjoy later this year, with Marvel's Eyes of Wakanda animated spin-off show set to debut on Disney Plus. Per a Marvel trailer that unveiled its TV series line-up for 2025 last October, the Marvel Phase 5 program will be released on the streaming platform on August 6.

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As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

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