In Black Panther 3, Wakanda awaits once again.

Both the 2018 original and its sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, were box office and critical hits. The first film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It took home three Oscars and still stands as the third highest-grossing Marvel film, according to Box Office Mojo.

Between the release of the two movies, the franchise's star Chadwick Boseman died in August 2020 from colon cancer. His legacy lived on in 2022's Wakanda Forever, where T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) became the next Black Panther.

In December 2024, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that a third Black Panther movie was officially in development.

So with the film officially happening, what do fans know so far about the upcoming installment? Here's everything to know about Black Panther 3, including the cast, director and more.

No plot details have been revealed for Black Panther 3, but the legacy of T'Challa will live on.

At the end of 2022's Wakanda Forever, Shuri (Wright) has become the new Black Panther, following in her brother's footsteps. In a surprising move, Shuri decides to leave Wakanda and give up her royal title. Jabari Tribe leader M'Baku (Winston Duke) steps forward, calling for a challenge to the throne.

Shuri visits Nakia (Lupito Nyong'o) in Haiti, and on the beach Shuri has a ceremonial burning of the robe she wore to her brother's funeral. Nakia joins Shuri and introduces her to her son, Toussaint, the child of T'Challa, whom Nakia has been raising "away from the pressure of the throne."

With that reveal, the next Black Panther could feature a fight between Toussaint and M'Baku for the future of the throne.

No official cast announcement has made for Black Panther 3, but Denzel Washington has revealed that he will be a part of it.

During a November 2024 interview on Australia Today, Washington revealed his involvement with the upcoming Black Panther when listing his upcoming projects.

"[Director] Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that, I’m going to do the film of Othello," the Fences star said. "After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire."

During the June 5 episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Coogler confirmed that he has written a part for Washington in the upcoming sequel.

The director told host Carmelo Anthony, “Denzel is family at this point ... I’ve been trying to work with him since day one."

He continued, “I think he’s the greatest living actor, and in terms of what he means to our culture, forget about it. I’ve been talking to him about this for a long time.”

Wright, who became Black Panther in Wakanda Forever, said that she was "manifesting" a Black Panther 3 in a January 2023 interview with Variety.

“I think it’s already in the works,” she said. “We need a little bit of a break, we need to regroup and [Coogler] needs to get back into the lab, so it’s going to take a little while, but we’re really excited for you guys to see that."

Other cast members have not been announced, but original Black Panther stars Nyong'o, Duke and Danai Gurira all returned for Wakanda Forever. Angela Bassett also reprised her role — and earned an Oscar nomination for it — but her character, Queen Ramonda, died in the sequel.

No, Ryan Gosling has not been confirmed to join Black Panther 3.

Following the reveal that the new leader of Wakanda in the Marvel Comics series is white, memes announcing Gosling's casting circulated online.

In the first issue of Marvel Knights: The World to Come — which hit comic stands on June 4 — T'Challa dies, and his son, Ketema, declares himself to be the king of Wakanda. At the end of the issue, Ketema unmasks himself to reveal that he is a white man.

For years, fans have speculated about the Barbie star finally joining the MCU. When asked about the rumors of playing a Marvel superhero in a 2022 MTV News interview, Gosling joked, "I was waiting for the Captain Canada call."

The actor later told MTV News' Josh Horowitz that he is interested in playing Ghost Rider. It's a character he's long been familiar with, since his longtime partner, Eva Mendes, starred in Ghost Rider back in 2007.

Coogler, the director of the first two Black Panther movies, is returning to helm the third installment.

Outside of Black Panther, Coogler also directed Fruitvale Station, Creed and Sinners. The vampire period piece became a sensation when it was released in April 2025, earning more than $350 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo.

Black Panther 3 does not yet have a release date.

Fans eager to return to the world of Black Panther can look forward to Eyes of Wakanda, an animated anthology series about generations of warriors throughout the country's history. Eyes of Wakanda premieres on August 6 on Disney+.