Earlier today, we reported on a rumor that Marvel Studios might be planning to introduce a new take on T'Challa to the MCU.
It was generally assumed that Kevin Feige and co. were searching for a new actor to play a variant of the same character the late Chadwick Boseman portrayed, but this may not be the case.
According to MTTSH, the studio is actually in the process of casting an actor for the role of Black Panther's son (also named T'Challa), who was introduced at the end of Wakanda Forever.
The studio is said to have met with a few actors already, and one would be "sure to piss people off" if he landed the part (take from that what you will).
The 2022 sequel concluded with Shuri (Letitia Wright) meeting her nephew, the son T'Challa had with Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o).
The original plan seemed to be for the lad to succeed his late father by taking up the mantle of Black Panther, and possibly even ruling Wakanda as king. Of course, only a few years have passed in the MCU, so if it is indeed T'Challa's son who is set to be (re)introduced, we can only assume that it's going to be an older Multiverse variant - unless a significant time jump is planned.
It's not clear if T'Challa will debut in one of the upcoming Avengers movies, but - providing this rumor is on the level - he is expected to feature in Black Panther 3.
During a 2022 interview with the New York Times, director Ryan Coogler admitted that he'd be glad to stay on this franchise for "as long as folks will have me."
"I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to work on these movies, bro. When I got asked to do the first one, it was like a moving train. I thank God every day that I was able to jump on it and meet these people, these actors, and to meet Chadwick during some of the last years of his life. I’ll do it as long as folks will have me. But I think it’s bigger than just me or Joe. Between the first and second movie, we made $2 billion at the box office, which is what matters the most to corporations. So I hope that it continues, man. I hope people are still making movies about Wakanda long after we’re gone."
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta as Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livanalli.