Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel revealed David Jonsson as the new Black Panther for the 2028 film, Black Panther III. Jonsson is set to portray T'Challa's son, a character introduced as a child in the post-credits scene of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, Jonsson's age, 32, contrasts sharply with the apparent young age of the character, Toussaint, who was depicted as around seven years old in the 2022 film.
This discrepancy suggests a significant time jump will occur within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, likely between or during the events of Avengers: Doomsday and the highly anticipated Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for 2027. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Shuri meets T'Challa's widow, Nakia, who reveals they have a son named Toussaint, raised away from Wakandan pressures. The child actor, Divine Love Konadu-Sun, appeared to be around seven, aligning with a birth shortly after the first Black Panther film and accounting for the five-year jump in Avengers: Endgame.
If the character is to be portrayed as an adult by 2028, a substantial temporal leap is required. The upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, drawing inspiration from both the 1984 and 2015 Marvel Comics events of the same name, is the most probable catalyst for such a shift. The 2015 comic series, written by Jonathan Hickman, saw the merging of various Marvel universes into a new reality known as Battleworld, orchestrated by Doctor Doom. This narrative could provide a framework for an older Toussaint within a restructured multiverse.
Beyond in-universe explanations, the casting may also address real-world considerations for Marvel Studios. The introduction of an adult T'Challa Jr. could offer a solution to fan desire for the character's return after Chadwick Boseman's passing and potentially shift focus away from Letitia Wright as the primary Black Panther lead. Wright's controversial public statements regarding vaccines during the filming of Wakanda Forever have also been noted as a factor.
The casting of Jonsson appears to confirm a long-term plan to transition the Black Panther mantle to T'Challa's son. While the specific in-universe explanation for his advanced age remains to be revealed, the studio's decision indicates a deliberate strategic move for the future of the franchise.