Denzel Washington is set to join the Marvel universe in the third film, according to Black Panther director Ryan Coogler. Coogler confirmed the news on June 5th during Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, “7pm in Brooklyn,” that Washington will play a specific role in the film and is excited to hear him chant “Wakanda Forever” with the cast.
“I think he’s the greatest living actor, and in terms of what he means to our culture, forget about it. I’ve been talking to him about this for a long time,” the 39-year-old said on the podcast. Black Panther 3 does not yet have an official release date.
As he praised the Oscar-winning actor for his work, Coogler expressed his desire to collaborate with him, citing it as a lifelong dream.
“Denzel is family at this point … I’ve been trying to work with him since day one,” Coogler stated.
The project presents a significant opportunity for Coogler to fulfill his lifelong ambitions before Washington’s retirement.
Washington told Australia’s “Today” during a November 2024 interview while on the press tour for “Gladiator II” that Black Panther 3, along with a few other movie projects, would be some of his final movies before retirement.
“I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. It’s probably not that many. I played Othello at 22. I am about to play Othello at 70. After that, I am playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking to Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther! After that, I’m going to do the film ‘Othello.’ After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire,” Washington stated.
So far the 70-year-old star is in the Steve McQueen Broadway project and a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello alongside Jake Gyllenhaal that premiered on March 23, 2025, and is set to end on June 8, 2025.
He will then portray Othello for a third time in a film adaptation, take on the roles of Hannibal and King Lear in separate projects, and have a part in the third Black Panther movie.