Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has shared an update on his upcoming movie projects, and it seems like Black Panther 3 is likely to happen sooner rather than later. The MCU is heading toward the end of the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Avengers: Secret Wars. All upcoming MCU movies released within 2025 and 2027 will have to match these films’ extremely high anticipation.

Sequels such as Black Panther 3, Doctor Strange 3, and Thor 5 are likely to be released within the next five years due to the high popularity of the characters and the movies’ potential connection to the multiverse. Black Panther 3, in particular, is the project with the most likelihood of arriving in Phase 6, as Ryan Coogler has openly revealed that he’s working on the Black Panther threequel. Now, that possibility has increased.

Ryan Coogler Recently Addressed A Potential Sinners Sequel

Ryan Coogler May Not Make A Sinners Sequel Anytime Soon

Following the critical and commercial success of his 2025 horror movie, Ryan Coogler said Sinners was always meant to be a self-contained project that felt “complete” without the need for a sequel. Though Coogler doesn’t outright reject the possibility of a sequel, he also describes Sinners as “a break from franchise filmmaking.” After this fruitful break, Coogler might return to franchise filmmaking with Black Panther 3.

The MCU’s Black Panther movies are huge projects that require a different approach to a more director-driven film like Sinners. That said, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are a very personal part of Ryan Coogler’s career, as they made a huge impact on pop culture and honored the legacy of Coogler’s close friend and collaborator Chadwick Boseman. Refreshed after Sinners‘ success, Coogler may tackle Black Panther 3 with undivided attention.

Black Panther 3 Is Currently In Development

Black Panther 3 Might Be Heading To Pre-Production Soon

Discussion around Black Panther 3 skyrocketed when Denzel Washington revealed he had been cast in the Black Panther sequel. A few months later, Ryan Coogler confirmed he’d wanted to work with Washington for a long time, and said that he has “been talking to him about this for a long time.” Speaking to Variety, Coogler confirmed that the wait for Black Panther 3 would “not [be] long.”

Ryan Coogler has been busy with Sinners‘ release and distribution after his and Washington’s Black Panther 3 comments. While nothing has been confirmed about the its script, Black Panther 3 is likely to be in the development stage, with Coogler potentially finishing the script in 2025 or 2026. If Coogler doesn’t take up any new project soon, he could reveal that Black Panther 3 is ready to head into pre-production in late 2025 or early 2026.

Denzel Washington is all but confirmed for Black Panther 3 in an undisclosed role. Leтιтia Wright, Winston Duke, and Lupita Nyong’o are likely to return, and characters like Angela Bᴀsset’s Queen Ramonda, Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger, and John Kani’s T’Chaka could appear in flashbacks or in the Ancestral Plane. Following the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Tenoch Huerta’s Namor could return as an ally to Wakanda.

When Black Panther 3 Could Fit Into The MCU Phase 6 Slate

Black Panther 3 Could Release Right Before Or Immediately After Secret Wars

Marvel Studios currently has an available release date for July 2027 — right between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. If Ryan Coogler finishes the script and Marvel begins production soon, Black Panther 3 could claim that spot. Releasing between the MCU’s next two Avengers movies would be a huge boost for the Black Panther sequel and a great opportunity for it to become valuable connective tissue between both multiversal events.

Black Panther 3 could also wait until Avengers: Secret Wars concludes the Multiverse Saga’s overarching storyline to deliver a more self-contained story. Similarly to Phase 2’s Ant-Man and Phase 3’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Panther 3 could serve as the epilogue for Phase 6. Otherwise, if Black Panther 3 introduces a new character in the lead role, they could become the first hero of Phase 7 in 2028.