Veteran actor Denzel Washington has dropped a bombshell that he’s set to appear in “Black Panther 3”.
The 69-year-old Oscar-winner confirmed he would join Marvel’s blockbuster franchise in what seems to be shaping up to be one of his final acting roles before retirement.
Washington’s comments mark the first public confirmation of a third “Black Panther” film, following the 2018 cultural phenomenon and its 2022 sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
Speaking on Australia’s Today show, he shared, “At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’ll make, probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”
He went on to explain that director Ryan Coogler specifically wrote a role for him in “Black Panther 3”, fulfilling a special legacy tied to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Boseman, who played the iconic T’Challa, once credited Washington with helping him attend acting school, famously stating, “There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington.”
In 2019, Boseman movingly paid tribute to him, saying, “The daily battles won, the thousand territories gained, the many sacrifices you made for the culture on film sets through your career… lay the blueprints for us to follow.”
As he contemplates stepping away from acting after a four-decade career, Washington is mapping out his final roles with clear intent.
He’ll revisit “Othello” at 70, take on the role of Hannibal, and work on a project with director Steve McQueen before “Black Panther 3”.
Following this film, he plans to tackle “King Lear” and then retire.
IOL Entertainment