What Role Could Denzel Washington Play In Black Panther 3?

Is there anyone left in Hollywood who hasn’t become a superhero or joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)? Or any role that Denzel Washington hasn’t done yet? Between these two questions lies some exciting common ground, which is exactly what’s happening now. The legendary actor has all but confirmed his entry into the MCU through the upcoming Black Panther 3, and the hype is through the roof.

A third Black Panther film wasn’t something fans expected anytime soon, especially after Chadwick Boseman’s untimely passing in 2020. Marvel made the respectful decision not to recast his role as King T’Challa in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Instead, the story focused on the people of Wakanda grappling with the loss of their leader on screen. Now, bringing someone as iconic as Denzel into the fold would signify a fresh beginning for the storyline, without diminishing Boseman’s legacy as T’Challa.

Denzel Washington Reveals Surprise Role In Black Panther 3

Marvel does a decent job of keeping details of upcoming projects under wraps. However, Denzel Washington channeled his inner Tom Holland, and casually outed his involvement in Black Panther 3: a film most people didn’t even know was in the works. While promoting his upcoming movie Gladiator II on The Today Show, Washington listed his final planned acting roles on stage and screen before retirement. The most surprising addition? He mentioned that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is writing a role for him in the franchise’s third installment.

As of now, Marvel Studios has not officially confirmed Black Panther 3 or how it might fit into the MCU’s upcoming slate. Denzel’s role in the film also remains vague, but fans are eagerly awaiting word from Kevin Feige and the team. After all, this is a Comic-Con or D23 Expo-level announcement – something as huge as RDJ returning as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. So, questions linger: What role will Denzel Washington play in Black Panther 3? Will he be a supervillain? And how might he fit into the larger MCU narrative?

Potential Roles For Denzel Washington In The MCU

Achebe

Denzel is most likely to take on a one-off role in the MCU, and it’s fitting that he might portray an eccentric villain from the Black Panther comics. Achebe is originally a poor farmer from the fictional African village of Ghudaza, who descends into madness with an almost unquenchable thirst for revenge. In the comics, he clashes with T’Challa using mental manipulation rather than physical force.

With other Black Panther villains like Killmonger, Namor, Klaw, and M’Baku already explored in the two previous films, the third installment needs someone like Achebe. And who is better than Denzel for this role? He could tap into his Oscar-winning Training Day performance to create an unpredictable MCU villain like no other. Imagine how menacing he’d look wielding that Daki hand puppet.

Bashenga

Alternatively, Ryan Coogler could choose to revisit history and retell the story of Bashenga, the first-ever Black Panther. While the 2018 film did narrate his tale through a stunning “Origins of Wakanda” animation sequence, Denzel would be an excellent live-action choice to portray the founder of the Panther Cult in Wakanda.

This version of Bashenga could be an older, wiser figure in the Ancestral Plane, who may serve as a mentor to younger Black Panthers like Shuri or T’Challa II. Denzel would effortlessly excel at playing Wakanda’s first leader and protector.

Changamire

Like Bashenga, Changamire would be another seasoned, mature character ideal for Denzel, but with a more contemporary twist. In the comics, Changamire is a revered Wakandan philosopher and teacher. He is often seen as pro-democracy and anti-monarchy, and his radical ideas spark tensions against King T’Challa’s rule. Having already portrayed the revolutionary Malcolm X in Spike Lee’s biopic, Denzel seems like a perfect fit for this character as well.

T’Challa or Kang Variant

The MCU surely wouldn’t let their multiverse/Secret Wars card go to waste. It’s possible they could use the storyline to introduce Denzel Washington as a variant of an established character. T’Challa is the most obvious and immediate choice, with Denzel potentially portraying a veteran Black Panther T’Challa, or even T’Chaka from an alternate reality. This would be a bittersweet full-circle moment, especially considering Denzel’s praise for Chadwick Boseman and the first Black Panther film, as revealed in an interview with JOE.co.uk. He shared:

Black Panther, I shed a tear. I was sitting in there — I ran into Chad and Ryan before the movie started, it was their premiere, or the screening in New York, and just talking to them and they went into the movie — and the 40 years I’ve been in this game came back to me.

Denzel could also take on a variant of Kang the Conqueror, given that the door is wide open following Jonathan Majors’ unpleasant exit. While the MCU may have shifted focus from Kang to Doom, if Denzel changes his mind about retirement, he could potentially remain in the franchise as a Thanos-level villain for future films. One other potential role is Blue Marvel, a decorated Marine and scientist who faced the challenge of being a Black hero in a cultural time that wasn’t too friendly to him.

The options are abundant, but it might be too early to make any conclusive calls, since Ryan Coogler is said to be only “writing a role” for Denzel. That said, it certainly didn’t stop the actor from unofficially announcing Black Panther 3 to the world. Well, good luck trying to stop the Equalizer.

Black Panther