Even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in a bit of a down period for the past few years, with projects not fully connecting or failing to match box office expectations, the future remains bright. The next year will see just two movies in the MCU be released, but both have high potential with Spider-Man: Brand New Day premiering in the summer and Avengers: Doomsday arriving for Christmas. 2027 offers an even smaller offering with just one film, Avengers: Secret Wars. Beyond that? No one really knows, though, another new project that’s happening in the MCU just got an update that fans have been waiting on.
There are only two projects fans know are for sure happening in the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars, the long-awaited Marvel Studios reboot of the X-Men with Jake Schreier, and the third film in the Black Panther series. Though some elements about the next chapter in the MCU’s Wakanda have been revealed, the most exciting hs just been confirmed by director Ryan Coogler. Fresh off his critical and commercial success, Sinners, Coogler has offered a new update on Black Panther 3, but one that does raise some questions.
Black Panther 3 Is Officially Ryan Coogler’s Next Movie (But When Will It Happen?)
Speaking at an event with Deadline over the weekend, Coogler was naturally asked about the status of Black Panther 3, a project that was basically a guarantee to happen in the MCU even before actors started talking about it in interviews. The good news for fans, Coogler noted, he’s working on it “next,” but the language of his update is one that is worth digging into.
“If it was anybody but you, I would say, ‘I can neither confirm nor deny,’” Coogler told the outlet. “But we’re working on it hard. … Yeah, it’s the next movie.”
Coogler’s confirmation that Black Panther 3 is his “next movie” is one that Marvel fans should be celebrating. It would have been very easy for Coogler to have gotten swept up in the success of Sinners and perhaps continue to explore his wholly original franchise with some kind of follow-up. It’s worth noting, however, that Coogler calling Panther 3 his “next movie” leaves a lot of wiggle room for his schedule, as Coogler has long been attached to a major television project that could very well take precedent.
Though Marvel fans want to see Coogler continue to play in the Black Panther sandbox, Coogler is also attached to another major franchise, a revival of The X-Files. The filmmaker has noted that he’s hard at work on that series as well, revealing his personal connection to the show and the details he’s shared about his vision with others. No timeline has been revealed for when The X-Files will get going, or how involved Coogler will be with it on a day-to-day basis, but based on the wording of his Black Panther 3 reveal, it might have to wait until the Creed director has opened the X-Files. It was already a given that Marvel’s Black Panther 3 may not arrive until 2028 at the earliest, but between Coogler’s busy schedule and the fluctuations of the MCU as a whole after Avengers: Secret Wars, the next film in the series may need to cook a little longer.
