Damson Idris Once Again Addresses Those ‘Black Panther’ Rumors

by Justin Hermes · January 13, 2026

One of the biggest questions surrounding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is what to do with Black Panther.

When the first Black Panther film was released in 2018, it seemed that Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa was poised to become the face of the MCU, especially as the original Avengers began to step aside.

Source: Marvel Studios

By the time Avengers: Endgame arrived, Black Panther stood on equal footing with Captain America and Iron Man, and the future of the franchise looked undeniably bright.

Source: Marvel Studios

Then, the unthinkable happened.

A Tragic Passing and Unthinkable Decision

On August 28, 2020, Chadwick Boseman passed away from colon cancer at the age of 43, leaving Marvel in uncharted territory.

Source: Essence

Ultimately, Ryan Coogler and the rest of the Black Panther creative team chose to move forward with a sequel. When it came to T’Challa, however, Marvel faced a difficult decision- recast the role or lay the character to rest.

RGR86B LETITIA WRIGHT, BLACK PANTHER, 2018

That question was answered in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which opened with T’Challa’s death and saw Shuri (Letitia Wright) take up the mantle of Black Panther.

Speculation Continues

While many fans praised the decision to shift the franchise’s focus to Shuri, others mourned the loss of one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes. In the years since, speculation has persisted that Marvel could eventually recast T’Challa, potentially using the multiversal events of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as a narrative bridge.

One name frequently mentioned as a possible new T’Challa is Damson Idris.

Amid the speculation, Idris has increasingly been asked about the possibility of playing the iconic role. Last year, he even admitted that he would take the role if offered.

Photo: Hello Beautiful

Now, the actor has weighed in again.

Idris’ Latest Comments

Speaking with Variety on the Golden Globes red carpet, Idris was once again asked about the possibility that he would assume the role of T’Challa in Black Panther 3.

Photo: AP News

The actor’s non-answer did little to quell the speculation.

“I am thankful to the fans,” Idris said. “Of course it’s rumor, but I love that movie. I love the world. I’m glad that everyone seeing the future of that too. It’s moving in a brilliant direction, and I’m excited for the third one.”

Damson Idris addresses the rumors about him possibly taking on the ‘Black Panther’ role:

“I am thankful to the fans. Of course it’s rumor but I love that movie. I love the world.”

(Via @Variety) pic.twitter.com/nlJU5xUKzb

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) January 11, 2026