Following a majorBlack Pantherreport, theMarvel Cinematic Universeis seemingly getting ready to bring back T’Challa, and there are a few talented stars who could take on such a prestigious role. Chadwick Boseman was one of the MCU’s most beloved actors. His death after a battle with colon cancer was incredibly tragic, and Marvel chose to honor the actor bymakingBlack Panther: Wakanda Forevera beautiful study on mourningand healing from the pain, becoming one of theMCU’s best movies.
The emotional film showed how strong Letitia Wright’s Shuri was, making her Marvel’s new Black Panther. Three years since the movie was released, anew Black Panther report claims Marvel is recasting T’Challa. According to the rumors, an actor has already passed on the role, as Boseman’s shoes would be too big to fill. Only a few actors have the necessary skills to lead theconfirmedBlack Panther 3and appear asT’Challa — who will reportedly be recast through the multiverse— infuture MCU movies. Here are some of them.
10Damson Idris
The Actor’s Career Should Skyrocket After 2025
First up is Damson Idris, who has become a popular name among fans who want to see T’Challa recast in the MCU. The 33-year-old actor would be an interesting choice for the part, giving T’Challa a fresh face, as Idris hasnot been in many high-profile Hollywood projects. Idris' biggest role came inSnowfall, the TV series that saw the actor play a drug kingpin and lead his own crime family.
InSnowfall, the actor showed how talented he was in a darker, heavier role. Idris also appeared in episodes ofBlack MirrorandThe Twilight Zone. By casting him as the next T’Challa, Marvel would be getting an actor on the verge of stardom, as Idris has a prominent role as the young driver whowill be mentored by Brad Pitt’s character in this year’s Formula One movieF1.
9Trevante Rhodes
A Popular Superhero Fancast For DC
Trevante Rhodes has the acting credentials to make sure his version of T’Challa would be quite poignant. The actor was responsible for playing the adult Chiron inMoonlight.The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picturein the historical moment whenLa La Landwas announced as the winner of the category before the mistake was caught. InMoonlight, Rhodes was a force on the screen, commanding scenes with his facial expressions alone.
Trevante Rhodes was a popular fancast for the Green Lantern John Stewart at DC for years before the role was cast for the DCU’s Lanterns series.
His performance as Chiron was nuanced, assertive, and gripping. Those qualities would suit T’Challa well, allowing the MCU to cast an actor whocan bring the necessary gravitas to Wakanda’s hero. In movies likeThe PredatorandBird Box, Rhodes showcased more traditional action star talents. The actor could both chew up the scenery with intense dialogue and take part in violent fight scenes.
8John David Washington
His Father Is Already In Black Panther 3
Black Panther 3is currently in development. The news was first revealed by Hollywood legend Denzel Washington, who said director Ryan Coogler had written a role for him. Marvel Studios could do something unique byhaving Denzel star opposite his sonin the film, as John David Washington would make for an excellent multiverse T’Challa. InTenet, the star’s action skills and ability to lead a high-budget film were put to the test.
Despite his character not being developed much, Washington made every second of screen time he had count, making him compelling and easy to root for. The actor has a wide set of skills, with The Rock’sBallersshowing how hilarious he can be, while more serious projects likeBlacKkKlansmanandThe Piano Lessonshowhe would get T’Challa’s regal, commanding presence nicely. Speaking withComicBook.com, Washington said he is open to joining Marvel or DC.
7Sope Dirisu
Sope Dirisu might not be the most well-known name in Hollywood, but the actor has talent in spades to play Black Panther and earn a big break in the movie sphere. So far, Dirisu has not appeared in any major films. However, the actor has gotten the chance to show his skills for a role such as T’Challa through two TV series.Dirisu’s biggest role comes inGangs of London.
The 34-year-old plays an undercover policeman who has to make sense of a major gang war that builds after the most powerful criminal in London dies. There is a sense of urgency and resourcefulness in the role that could lead to a very different T’Challa in the MCU. Dirisu is also delightful in the hit spy seriesSlow Horses. The actor wasrumored to be in talks for DC’s John Constantine in a seriesthat was later canceled as the studio shifted its plans to Keanu Reeves’Constantine 2, so Black Panther could finally give him a superhero role.
6Michael B. Jordan
The Actor Is A Key Part Of The Black Panther Franchise
Michael B. Jordan would beone of the easiest choices to recast T’Challa. The actor is already an MCU star, having played the Black Panther franchise villain Killmonger. Jordan made the character one of the best and most complex foes in the franchise. With the report stating that T’Challa would be recast through the multiverse, there is a recent precedent in the MCU — Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man and Doctor Doom — for T’Challa to look like Killmonger.
Michael B Jordan’s Childhood Dream Marvel Role Just Became Possible 7 Years After He Joined The MCU
Michael B. Jordan played Killmonger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the talented actor’s Marvel dream role is a major hero, not a villain.
Adding to that, Jordan has appeared in all movies directed byBlack Panther’s Ryan Coogler. The actor alsostated that the late Chadwick Boseman was his “big brother.“Jordan’s casting as T’Challa would ensure that Boseman’s legacy continues with a proven MCU star who is a favorite of the franchise’s director and was very close to Boseman. Black Panther is also Jordan’s childhood dream Marvel role.
5Aldis Hodge
The Star Could Move From DC To Marvel
Another proven superhero movie actor who could play Black Panther is Aldis Hodge. However, different from Michael B. Jordan, the actor did not play a Marvel character but a DC one. Hodge gave life to Hawkman in the DCEU’sBlack Adam. His performance as the hero was praised alongside the rest of the Justice Society. However, given howDC has no plans for the characters in James Gunn’s new DCU, a Marvel move could suit Hodge.
The actor made Hawkman an imponent figure and the leader of the JSA. Those characteristics could translate to playing T’Challa in the MCU, with Hodge capable of excelling in fight sequences and commanding the scene whenever he appeared, even if T’Challa did not pop a claw. Having also voiced the Green Lantern John Stewart in animation,Hodge has the superhero experience for Black Panther.
4John Boyega
Marvel Would Have To Convince The Star Wars Actor
John Boyega is no stranger to Marvel Studios' parent company, Disney. The actorrose to fame playing Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. While his character had potential, the lack of a clear plan led to Finn being more of a background player as the trilogy went on. Boyega has been very vocal about his issues with how that situation was handled, and it might have soured him on franchise work.
At 32 and with Star Wars fame behind him, Boyega could make T’Challa a major MCU figure again.
Speaking with Shuri actress Letitia Wright forVariety, Boyega said that starring in the Viola Davis-ledThe Woman Kingwas the closest he would ever get to appearing in Black Panther movies. Over his career, the actor has shown that his charismatic nature and ability to play good-hearted characters shine through. However, Boyega has the range for darker, more nuanced roles. At 32 and with Star Wars fame behind him, Boyega could make T’Challa a major MCU figure again.
3Aaron Pierre
His MCU Debut Fell Through And DC Came Into Play
Aaron Pierre has had an interesting journey when it comes to superhero projects. The actor first joined the genre as Dev-Em in the short-lived Superman prequel seriesKrypton. Years later,he was set to play a key role opposite Mahershala Ali in Marvel Studios’Blade. However, after a series of delays and the movie’s script being rewritten over and over, Pierre’s character was cut, with the actor now moving to DC.
Lanterns
Aaron Pierre
Pierre will play the Green Lantern John Stewart in HBO’sLanternsseriesand future DC Universe projects. Since James Gunn has already added Marvel stars to his DC franchise, the other path could also happen, with Pierre joining Marvel as Black Panther after theBladedebacle. In Netflix’sRebel Ridge, the actor showed his action prowess and that he is ready to become a major Hollywood star, making him perfect to play T’Challa for the next decade.
2Jovan Adepo
The Actor Has Experience In A Prestige Superhero Series
Jovan Adepo has made a name for himself on gripping TV shows. One of his early roles was in HBO’s excellentThe Leftovers, which saw his charisma shine as Michael Murphy.The actor would deliver an impactful performance inWhen They See Us, the miniseries that followed five young men who were wrongfully convicted of a crime they did not commit and how it reshaped their lives.
Adepo brings a sense of realism to his performances that is gripping to watch. The actor also has a relationship with DC, havingplayed Hooded Justice in HBO’sWatchmen. Adepo’s character was part of one of the standout storylines of the show, with his superhero skills highlighted alongside his dramatic range. As T’Challa, Adepo would be able to make Wakanda’s king an analytical thinker, like his character in3 Body Problem, and bring his regal nature to the big screen.
1Caleb McLaughlin
The Stranger Things Star Could Play An Interesting T’Challa
Finally,Stranger Things' Caleb McLaughlin is the youngest star on the list, at only 23. While it would be startling to go from Chadwick Boseman to McLaughlin as T’Challa, the MCU has already explained how that casting could work.Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverrevealed that T’Challa and Nakia had a son, Toussaint. Shuri then learned that the boy’s Wakandan name was T’Challa, ensuring that a version of the most famous Black Panther stayed in the MCU.
Since the T’Challa recast report claims the multiverse will be used to recast the role, there are two possible paths. Either Marvel recasts Boseman’s character with a new T’Challa from a different universe, or the plot device is used tobring an aged-up version of Toussaint into play. As one of the most prominent rising stars in Hollywood, McLaughlin has the charisma, dramatic skills, and franchise experience to help guide theBlack Pantherfranchise forward.
Black Panther 3
Black Panther 3 is the unannounced but teased third entry in the series of films that exists as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film will pick up some time after the events of Wakanda Forever, with the new Black Panther once again taking up the mantle.
