Ryan Coogler reveals original Black Panther 2 script details, including T’Challa and his son

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Now that Marvel has officially greenlit Black Panther 3, fans are eagerly anticipating what director Ryan Coogler has planned for the next installment.

Following the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer in 2020, the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, featured Shuri (Letitia Wright) stepping into the role of the Black Panther.

The first film, released in 2018, was a huge success worldwide. Writer and director Ryan Coogler had already begun planning a sequel with Chadwick Boseman in the lead role. When Boseman tragically passed away in 2020, Coogler had to completely reimagine the story and direction of the second film.

Ryan Coogler shared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that the original plan for Black Panther 2 would have focused on T’Challa and his young son, who would have been eight years old.

I learned from a recent podcast that a key element of the script revolved around something called the ‘Ritual of 8’. Apparently, it involves an eight-year-old prince who has to spend eight days in the wilderness with his father. It sounded like a really interesting and important part of the story!

The screenplay for Black Panther II was finished, and director Ryan Coogler sent it to Chadwick Boseman to review. However, Boseman was too unwell at the time to read it.

I invested a lot of effort into that cut of the film because I’d really gotten to understand Chadwick as an actor. I gave him a lot to work with in the first ‘Black Panther’ movie, but I quickly realized I was only beginning to see what he was capable of. The initial draft was quite lengthy – around 180 pages.

Ryan Coogler is currently writing the script for the next Black Panther movie. Denzel Washington is confirmed to be part of the cast, with Coogler having written a role specifically for him. Details about Washington’s character and the overall story are being kept secret for now.

Coogler did talk about questions surrounding whether a third film was necessary, and also acknowledged some fans weren’t happy with the announcement. He explained on the podcast that he’s making the movie because it’s a deeply personal project, saying, ‘I got this movie on my heart.’

I understand if people wonder why I’m making another film like this one. That’s a fair question, and it’s my responsibility as a filmmaker to explain the reasons behind it.

Ryan Coogler has had an incredibly successful year, releasing ‘Sinners’ and being chosen to reboot ‘The X Files’. He recently announced at a ‘Sinners’ event that ‘Black Panther 3’ is his next project, so fans can likely expect more news about the film soon!

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You can now watch Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney+. Disney+ subscriptions start at just £5.99 per month.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a BA degree in English Literature.

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2025-12-30 16:34