The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to speculation and secrets, and ‘Black Panther 3’ is already at the center of rumors. From the possibility of a T’Challa recast to whispers of Denzel Washington joining the franchise, fans have been eager for clarity.
However, according to ‘Black Panther’ star Lupita Nyong’o, it’s all just noise until director Ryan Coogler himself speaks on it. Given where ‘Wakanda Forever’ left off, ‘Black Panther 3‘ has multiple potential directions and fans are speculating about all of them.
Lupita Nyong’o Says Fans Should Not Believe Any Rumors Unless It Comes From Director Ryan Coogler
During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lupita Nyong’o (who plays Nakia in the Black Panther films) addressed the speculation. The actress made it clear that she doesn’t believe anything until it comes from director Ryan Coogler himself. She even joked about the idea of Denzel Washington landing a role before she does.
“Well, I won’t believe it until I hear it from Ryan himself, because what if Denzel has a role and I don’t?” she quipped. “Let me stay humble and ignorant until the leader of the pack actually says something.” While Nyong’o might’ve dismissed the rumors, there is some basis to the reports about Denzel Washington’s involvement.
Previously, Washington himself confirmed that he would be appearing in the film. However, Marvel Studios has yet to make an official statement, and producer Nate Moore has been careful not to reveal too much. When asked about Washington’s role, Moore told ScreenRant that it’s “too early to say” who the actor might be playing. He did, however, add that if Washington were to appear, it would “probably be somebody from canon.”
Producer Nate Moore Shut Down T’Challa’s Recasting Rumors
Beyond rumors surrounding Denzel Washington’s role, the bigger question looming over ‘Black Panther 3’ is the fate of T’Challa. Following Chadwick Boseman’s heartbreaking passing, Marvel made the decision not to recast the character in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘. Instead, the film honored Boseman’s legacy while passing the mantle to Shuri.
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However, with a third installment on the horizon, some fans have wondered if Marvel might revisit the idea of bringing T’Challa back in some way. Fans believe that it’ll possibly be through his son, Toussaint (a.k.a. T’Challa Jr.), who was introduced in ‘Wakanda Forever’.
Additionally, Nate Moore also shut down all recasting rumors. “The truth is, there’s no truth to those rumors,” he told comicbook. He also suggested that Ryan Coogler hasn’t even begun writing ‘Black Panther 3’ yet. “Never say never to anything,” Moore added, “but we haven’t really had a lot of creative conversations with Ryan Coogler yet.”
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