GLADIATOR II Star Denzel Washington Confirms He'll Star In BLACK PANTHER 3 After Ryan Coogler Wrote Him A Role

GLADIATOR II Star Denzel Washington Confirms He'll Star In BLACK PANTHER 3 After Ryan Coogler Wrote Him A Role

Screen icon Denzel Washington is finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Gladiator II star has confirmed he'll appear in Ryan Coogler's Black Panther 3. You can find his comments in full here.

By JoshWilding - Nov 12, 2024 07:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Black Panther

We've long wondered whether Denzel Washington might finally agree to appear in a superhero project; unfortunately, it's never seemed overly likely given how selective the two-time Oscar winner is with the movies he stars in.

Doing the rounds to promote Gladiator II, Washington looked ahead to what's next and confirmed he'll star in Black Panther 3...a movie which has yet to be officially announced by Marvel Studios!

"For me, it's about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career," the screen icon says in the video below. "I'm only interested in working with the best. I don't know how many more films I'm going to make; probably not that many. I want to do things I haven't done...Ryan Coogler's writing a part for me in the next Black Panther."

Washington didn't divulge any details beyond that so we don't know who he's playing. Social media is already abuzz with ideas, though, including the threequel's lead villain (whoever that might end up being) and Blue Marvel. 

The actor's accolades and previous roles are too numerous to mention, though some of his most famous credits include Training Day, Malcolm XMan on FireInside Man, and The Equalizer trilogy.

Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman was frequently referred to as "the next Denzel Washington," and shortly after the actor's death following a four-year battle with colon cancer in 2020, Washington paid tribute to him. 

"He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career," he said. "God bless Chadwick Boseman."

What you might not know is that the two men had a history; when Phylicia Rashad was mentoring Boseman while teaching at Howard University, he was accepted into the British American Drama Academy's Midsummer program but couldn't afford to take part. She made a call to Washington and he agreed to foot the bill. 

"As fate would have it, I was one of the students that he paid for," Boseman said in 2019. "Imagine receiving the letter that your tuition for that summer was paid for and that your benefactor was none other than the dopest actor on the planet."

"There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington," he added. "And not just because of me, but my whole cast – that generation – stands on your shoulders."

Who do you think Washington will end up playing in the MCU? As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section and stay tuned for updates as we have them.

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TheyDont
TheyDont - 11/12/2024, 7:56 AM
Let me guess: he's gonna be a soft-spoken, but hard character
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 11/12/2024, 7:57 AM
That's pretty great, it'll be even better if Black Panther is also in the movie this time.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 11/12/2024, 8:17 AM
@Urubrodi - She was.

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Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 11/12/2024, 8:26 AM
@FireandBlood - I know you got what I meant but let me rephrase “it would be nice to have the Black Panther people care about the most and not his annoying sister”
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/12/2024, 8:34 AM
@Urubrodi - IMO Shuri was the better comic relief in BP 1, and her arc in WF was done pretty well. I didn't find her to be annoying. She had a tough role in loosing both her brother and mother. She's ended up having alot more Pathos than T'Challa did... IMO
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 11/12/2024, 8:47 AM
@Urubrodi - By the end of WF, I’m pretty sure people cared about Shuri. Her arc was handled well, and as it turns out, she was definitely up to the task of taking the mantle.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 11/12/2024, 8:47 AM
@Conquistador - I agree
Shuri in WF is some of the strongest character work in the MCU imo.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 11/12/2024, 8:48 AM
@Conquistador - She was ok in BP 1 as comic relief as you said, her banter with T'Challa was good. But the moment they tried to make her more than that in WF, it went downhill for me. She didn't have what it takes to lead a movie, nowhere near the charisma and presence that a protagonist should have IMO. But if you enjoyed it than that's completely fine. I hope that they bring some version of T'Challa to the third one.
AC1
AC1 - 11/12/2024, 9:03 AM
@Urubrodi - as one of the many doubters prior to Wakanda Forever being released regarding Shuri being chosen to take over as Black Panther, I'll admit I actually think the choice worked really well and was one of the best things in the sequel. The problems I had with the movie were all the other subplots that kinda made things feel messy, like I don't think Riri Williams needed to be in the movie at all and they should've just saved her debut for the Iron Heart series instead.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/12/2024, 9:05 AM
@Urubrodi - I think they served the audience that wanted a T'Challa replacement well in that post credit scene without bringing all those Multiverse shenanigans into it.

In WF, you could be right about Shuri leading the movie as a whole, but everyone else's character was given more to do, especially Okoye and Ramonda, so it definitley had more of an "ensemble" feel to it rather that her being a 'lead' per say. And Namor as a villain and the amount of time we spent with him and Talocan worked for me. B. Jordan as a villain has been unbeatable so far though.

Also, before Boseman's death the intent wasn't for her to be the lead and with them so close to production they made a decision to go in another direction rather than recast. We weren't in that room, but i cannot imagine everyone's heart would have been in it the same way as the first if they moved forward that way, and the end product wouldn't have been appreciated in the same way for sure, especially by the black and ethnic community..... BP WF is still the best MCU movie (without the need for nostalgia bait and fan service) post endgame....IN MY OPINION
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 11/12/2024, 9:05 AM
@FireandBlood - On paper yeah, what you said is true, but the execution is where the problem is to me. Her character is just nowhere as interesting as her brother is. She is fine as a secondary character but to me she didn't pull off the main character role. Plus, I just much rather see T'Challa in the role considering we only got him for one solo movie. And yes I know why they did what they did, but I think the right solution was to recast the role even if that meant to wait a bit longer to release the sequel.
The1st
The1st - 11/12/2024, 9:49 AM
@Urubrodi - Well...if Disney didn't immediately want more dollars and fans would have actually honored Chad's wishes, he himself said the character was bigger than him, I imagine we would have.
asherman93
asherman93 - 11/12/2024, 10:23 AM
@Urubrodi - She's as much the Black Panther as T'Challa is, and as her father, T'Chaka, was.
Its a mantle.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 11/12/2024, 10:28 AM
@asherman93 - I feel like I already addressed this when I answered FireandBlood. It's not about being a mantle or not, it's just as simple as her not being as interesting of a character as T'Challa. And yeah if Marvel Comics wants they can create a bunch of new Black Panthers in the comics who use the mantle in different points in history but they will be Black Panther in name only. The one most people care about and will associate with the role is T'Challa. There are very feel characters out there where another version of it is anywhere near as beloved as the main one.
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/12/2024, 12:03 PM
@Urubrodi - Don't worry about him, he does it because it makes him feel special.

No T'Challa no watch is how I see it.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/12/2024, 7:57 AM
Yo! Denzel's act 3 is wild! I been hearing he's stealing the show in Gladiator 2.

Finger's crossed he's another villian in BP 3
newhire13
newhire13 - 11/12/2024, 7:58 AM
Oh shit, nice!
BritishMonkey
BritishMonkey - 11/12/2024, 7:58 AM
Make him T'Challa come back from the dead.
Or another universe's T'Challa.
BrotherQStark
BrotherQStark - 11/12/2024, 8:26 AM
@BritishMonkey - I been saying all day Old Man T’Challa from the multiverse and he saves the MCU from Doom and once it’s rebooted bring in Damson Idris
EskimoJ
EskimoJ - 11/12/2024, 12:28 PM
@BritishMonkey - So you want an old ass T'Challa?

Might as well just wait for the second one to grow up.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 11/12/2024, 8:01 AM
He is Pachanka ....the Black Panther of Green Bay
ImNotaBot
ImNotaBot - 11/12/2024, 8:03 AM
This is a fking great news! Maybe the mentor of young Tchalla but i bet he will be the main villain.
IronGenesis
IronGenesis - 11/12/2024, 8:04 AM
The loss of Black Panther (who should have been the next Iron Man) left a hole the MCU has never been able to fill/repalce.

Concur with others who say … make him a Multiverse Black Panther and not a one & done villain or Obi-Wan mentor.
LSHF
LSHF - 11/12/2024, 8:07 AM
Excellent news,!
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/12/2024, 8:08 AM
Man, i hope they bring back Angela Bassett in a flashback or something to have scenes with him. Shit will be dope! Malcom X Part 2 (spiritually)
dragon316
dragon316 - 11/12/2024, 8:19 AM
Did it for paycheck like everyone else what last thing he was in ?
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 11/12/2024, 11:41 AM
@dragon316 - Gladiator 2
Reginator
Reginator - 11/12/2024, 8:25 AM
Black Panther should have been the leader of the Avengers after Stark died.
BrotherQStark
BrotherQStark - 11/12/2024, 8:27 AM
He is playing Old Man T’Challa I can feel it in my bones. Or just hope #recasttchalla
SuperCat
SuperCat - 11/12/2024, 8:29 AM
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The1st
The1st - 11/12/2024, 9:51 AM
@SuperCat - You never disappoint.
SethBullock
SethBullock - 11/12/2024, 8:30 AM
Should have been old Kang variant.
The1st
The1st - 11/12/2024, 9:51 AM
@SethBullock - Yup, the definitive Kang.
PC04
PC04 - 11/12/2024, 8:35 AM
This is exciting news! Denzel elevates everything he is in.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 11/12/2024, 8:38 AM
Let's [frick]ing go! Shuri as BP training her now teenaged nephew. Denzel. The loves of my life Shuri and Okoye. King M'Baku. Let's go! Coogler will cook once more.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 11/12/2024, 9:13 AM
Meant Nakia there in the part where I repeated Shuri! Lupita you're a star.
Hammbone
Hammbone - 11/12/2024, 8:42 AM
This shows how good the Black Panther films have been that an actor of Denzel Washington's caliber wants to be in it.
OptimusRhyme
OptimusRhyme - 11/12/2024, 8:48 AM
Bp3's gonna be mental now they've got my boy Denzel.
#myn**** (if you know...you know)
Forthas
Forthas - 11/12/2024, 8:50 AM
Marvel is pulling out all the stops and clawing (pun intended) there way back to form.
theprophet
theprophet - 11/12/2024, 8:50 AM
Maybe azzuri, tchallas grandfather
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