A new king of Wakanda has been crowned.
Marvel announced at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con that David Johnson has been cast as the new Black Panther in director Ryan Coogler’s third film, scheduled for release in December 2028.
Jonsson began his acting career in 2016 and has appeared in notable films such as “The Long Walk” and “Alien: Romulus.”
Keep scrolling to find out more about Johnson’s early life and career.
his upbringing
Johnson was born in London in September 1993.
His father worked as an IT engineer at Heathrow Airport and his mother worked for the Metropolitan Police.
Jonson is the youngest of four siblings.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and graduated in 2016.
acting role
Jonsson rose to fame playing Augustus Sackie in the BBC Two and HBO drama series Industry from 2020 to 2022.
He played Dom in the romantic comedy film Rye Lane, which received wide critical acclaim.
Johnson expanded his career into blockbusters with the role of Andy in the 2024 sci-fi horror film Alien: Romulus and the following year as Pete McFleece in The Long Walk.
Jonsson has also appeared in “The Wasteman,” “Bonhoeffer” and “The Road Trip.”
In 2025, Johnson won the BAFTA Rising Star Award for her role in Alien: Romulus.
He also won the Black British Theater Award for Best Actor in a Play in 2022, and the Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2026.
dating life
Johnson kept her dating life private.
He is not publicly associated with anyone.
Appearing in “Black Panther”
At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, director Ryan Coogler announced that Johnson would play T’Challa’s grown son, Prince T’Challa II, in the third installment of the Black Panther series.
“When we finally got around to making the movie, we brought in the character that the great Chadwick Boseman played in that movie, the son of our T’Challa,” Coogler said on stage.
“And today, I want to say that in this next film, he grows up (and) comes of age,” he added.
Jonsson then took the stage as the audience gave him a standing ovation.
“I just want to say thank you so much,” the British actor said.
“Thank you, Ryan, thank you Kevin[Feige]thank you for this amazing family, and I’m honored, privileged and blessed to be a part of this amazing family,” he added.
“I don’t really want to say much because I want the screen to do the talking. But believe me, this honor is completely mine.”
King T’Challa was played by Boseman in the first Black Panther movie in 2018.
Sadly, Boseman passed away in August 2020 at the age of 43 after secretly battling cancer.
In the 2022 sequel, T’Challa’s sister Shuri plays Black Panther, played by Letitia Wright.
