‘Black Panther’ Actor Winston Duke Reveals What He Told David Jonsson About Taking On The Iconic Role
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- Ryan Coogler announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Black Panther 3 will hit theaters on December 15, 2028, with David Jonsson cast as T'Challa's grown son
- David Jonsson will play the son introduced at the end of Wakanda Forever; Coogler specifically cited Jonsson's role in last year's The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence, when introducing him onstage
- Winston Duke told Deadline he spoke with Jonsson for the first time earlier that day, saying he wanted to extend the grace extended to him when Black Panther was his very first film
- Duke said he wanted Jonsson to know "we're here to support, we're here to help, we're here to augment, we're here to be here for him and for him to do his best work"
- Kevin Feige and Letitia Wright joined Coogler, Duke, and Jonsson onstage for the reveal
Why it matters: The December 2028 release gives Marvel a locked-in runway for the next Wakanda chapter, while Duke's public mentorship — telling Jonsson "come play" — marks a deliberate handoff to the franchise's next generation. Since Duke's own career debuted with Black Panther, his offer of support signals how the veteran cast is positioning itself to onboard Jonsson.
