Is Black Panther 3 the end for Ryan Coogler in Hollywood? The director reflects on his past and future in the industry, as well as the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman.
With Ryan Coogler’s Sinners already starting to make waves in the early days of awards season, the director has been speaking a lot about his career. Perhaps the biggest looming responsibility of his journey is Black Panther 3, the end of the MCU’s trilogy that started with Chadwick Boseman, and which has now wildly evolved since his passing.
The director spoke about the upcoming project with The New York Times. During their chat, the outlet revealed that Black Panther 3 is currently expected to land in theaters sometime in 2028. However, the road to that point hasn’t been easy, with Ryan Coogler reflecting on how Chadwick Boseman’s passing sent him into a tailspin.
“I took him for granted. I figured he’d always be around,” Coogler explained. “I didn’t think I would last in this industry, looking at it pretty fatalistically. Then Chad died, so I was questioning everything. There were points in [Black Panther: Wakanda Forever] where it felt unfinishable.”
Ryan Coogler’s Future After Black Panther
Of course, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever did eventually get made, with Black Panther 3 now early on in its development. It’s those struggles through the passing of Chadwick Boseman, says Ryan Coogler, that showed him he did have a future in Hollywood. Even if he personally doesn’t know what that future is.
“So when we put it out and I was happy with the film, I felt like, ‘OK, I could do this for the rest of my life,'” Coogler explains before continuing. “The image I get [of my future] is a green meadow with Bay Area fog on it, and it’s dawn. That’s what I see after that movie, because it feels like open land, open opportunity.”
With Black Panther 3 likely being both the end and the beginning of a new era for Wakanda in the MCU, it’ll be interesting to see how Ryan Coogler’s own journey reflects the film. Though even if his future isn’t clear, one thing is: Chadwick Boseman’s impact will be felt for many, many years to come.
Black Panther 3 is currently in development at Marvel Studios. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of Black Panther!
