Black Panther star Lupita Nyong’o acknowledges the rumors about Denzel Washington’s potential MCU role in Black Panther 3. Lupita Nyong’o has played Nakia in two MCU movies, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she was T’Challa’s love interest and was later revealed to be the mother of his son, Toussaint a.k.a. T’Challa Jr. Although little information about Black Panther 3 has been revealed, rumors about its plot and cast have already begun to make the rounds.
Speaking to EW, Nakia actor Lupita Nyong’o addresses the possibility of Black Panther 3 recasting T’Challa and adding Denzel Washington to its cast, denying both rumors. Nyong’o states that she will only believe the rumors until director Ryan Coogler officially confirms any information. Nyong’o also jokes that maybe “Denzel has a role” in the Black Panther threequel and she doesn’t, so she prefers to “stay humble” until Coogler provides any updates about Black Panther 3. Read Lupita Nyong’o’s full comments:
“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 told podcast host Gerrad Hall. “Let me stay humble and ignorant until the leader of the pack actually says something.”
Key Background To T’Challa’s Recasting Rumors & Denzel Washington Reports
Denzel Washington Spoiled His Black Panther 3 Role, But Didn’t Reveal His Character’s Idenтιтy
In a November 2024 interview on The Today Show, acclaimed actor Denzel Washington confirmed that he will appear in Black Panther 3. Marvel hasn’t confirmed Washington’s MCU casting officially, and Marvel producer Nate Moore told ScreenRant that it’s “too early to say” which character Denzel Washington would play in the MCU “if that manifests,” but also that Washington’s character would “probably be somebody from canon.” However, it’s too early to make any guesses.
On February the 3rd, 2025, Marvel producer Nate Moore also shut down rumors about T’Challa’s possible MCU recasting in Black Panther 3. Moore told Comicbook.com that “The truth is, there’s no truth to those rumors.” Moore suggests director Ryan Coogler hasn’t even gotten in contact with Marvel studios to begin writing Black Panther 3, saying, “Never say never to anything, we haven’t really had a lot of creative conversations with Ryan Coogler yet, because he’s finishing his film Sinners, which comes out this year.” Therefore, any official news may take a while to be announced.
Our Take On Lupita Nyongo’s Black Panther 3 Comments
Lupita Nyong’o Suggests Black Panther 3 Hasn’t Settled On A Cast Yet
Lupita Nyong’o could be hiding her Black Panther 3 return in order to avoid spoilers, but she seems more likely to be completely sincere in her suggestion that director Ryan Coogler hasn’t started writing Black Panther 3 yet. It’s possible that Coogler has already chosen Black Panther 3‘s main villain, which would justify Denzel Washington’s early casting. However, Black Panther 3‘s script probably doesn’t have a first draft yet.
Black Panther 3 could be the first Black Panther installment not to center around Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever paid homage to the late actor and his character. There are many directions Black Panther 3 could take, from another Black Panther installment starring Shuri to the start of a new era with Toussaint accepting the role of Black Panther. Meanwhile, Denzel Washington could be playing a hero or a villain in Black Panther 3. Rumors about his character’s idenтιтy range from the philosopher Changamire to the villain Achebe.
Source: EW
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