Marvel Actress Letitia Wright Reveals Her Reaction to Handing the BLACK PANTHER Mantle to David Jonsson

One of the big reveals at the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con was the official announcement of Black Panther III from franchise director Ryan Coogler, who also revealed that David Jonsson (Industry, Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk) would be taking over the mantle of the Black Panther.

While this move isn’t a huge shock from the perspective of anyone who has followed the trajectory of films, particularly Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which we met T’Challa’s young son at the end, it is a little surprising to hear what a time jump we will see in the next movie.

After the success of the first film, Black Panther (2018), fans were eager to see more of Chadwick Boseman in the lead role, but after Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame, Boseman sadly lost his battle with cancer and passed away in 2020.

When Wakanda Forever (2022) was written, his death was honored, and Letitia Wright, who played T’Challa’s sister Shuri, took on the Black Panther title.

She got to step into the leading role, which she will continue in this year’s Avengers: Doomsday, but it looks like her reign will end in Black Panther III. So how does she feel about handing over the baton?

In an interview with EW, Wright gushed about the “beautiful” news, celebrating such a blessing coming to a “special person with a good heart.”

“The news was really beautiful to hear because I have a personal connection to David. To see the full circle of that today, I’m still living in it. We’re both still checking in with each other about it. S

“he now has that mantle to pass on, and [that] guidance and the wisdom,” Wright teases. “I’m going to have a really, really good time, a lot of fun — and I’m going to pick on him so much.”

But Black Panther 3 won’t focus exclusively on Prince T’Challa. Fans can look forward to catching up with Shuri four years after the events of Wakanda Forever when Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th.

“In terms of what Shuri means to him, you know, Shuri’s gone through so much. And in this film, Doomsday, we see her growth, we see her fully in this position as Black Panther, but also just as a renewed woman, and powerful and strong — that leadership quality that she’s grown up around with Ramonda [Angela Bassett], her mother, and T’Challa, her brother.”

Wright gave voice to the feelings of fans across the MCU, saying: “[It’s been] beautiful to see the arc of this character, in 2018, starting as this beautiful scientist in the lab just trying to help her big brother out, to just elevating and growing and now being a source of wisdom for her young nephew.”

Jonsson grew visibly emotional amid the shouts and cheers for his casting during Saturday’s Marvel panel, where he said: “I want to say thank you so much. Thank you, Ryan.

'“Thank you, [Kevin Feige]. Thank you to this amazing family that I honor, [it’s] a privilege and blessing to join,” he says. “I don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking, but believe me, the honor is entirely mine.”

After the events of Avengers:Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), Black Panther III will be released on December 15, 2028.