David Jonsson cast as new Black Panther in Marvel’s third film

Marvel has announced that British actor David Jonsson will play the new Black Panther in Ryan Coogler’s third Black Panther film, set for release in December 2028.

The announcement was made at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, where Coogler revealed that Jonsson will portray Prince T’Challa II, the grown son of the late King T’Challa. Jonsson received a standing ovation after taking the stage and thanked Coogler, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the cast, saying he was honoured to join the franchise.

Jonsson, 32, was born in London in 1993 and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2016. He first gained recognition for his role in the TV drama Industry before earning critical praise for Rye Lane. He has since appeared in Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk, Bonhoeffer and several other productions.

His recent awards include the 2025 BAFTA Rising Star Award for Alien: Romulus, the 2022 Black British Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Play and the 2026 Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The role of T’Challa was originally played by Chadwick Boseman, who died from cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), T’Challa’s sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, took on the mantle of Black Panther.