Denzel Washington is set to head to Wakanda as he reveals that Ryan Coogler is writing a part for him in Black Panther 3.
As we reach the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II – a long anticipated follow-up to his classic 2000 film – Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus in the sequel, has been chatting about what he might be up to next. One of those upcoming gigs, he says, is a part in Marvel sequel Black Panther 3.
Despite reports that Washington is ready to wind down his career as an actor, he’s currently busier than ever. He will shortly be playing William Shakespeare’s Othello on the Broadway stage, a role he first played aged 22. According to Deadline, Washington has confirmed several of his upcoming film projects.
“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best,” he said. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make, probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done. I played Othello at 22, I’m now going to play it at 70. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film.”
He then confirmed that is working with writer-director Ryan Coogler on the previously unannounced Black Panther 3. “After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther,” he said.
Washington then went on to mention a few other films he plans to appear in: “After that, I’m going to do the film Othello. After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire.”
No mention of a fourth Equalizer there. Sad, but unsurprising.
Still, these are the first concrete details we’ve heard about Black Panther 3. The second film in the franchise was released in 2022, two years after the death of actor Chadwick Boseman.
Washington is also set to reunite with Spike Lee on High And Low, an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name.
Gladiator II will be released in UK cinemas on the 15th November. You can read our review if you fancy, and while you’re at it, do consider buying a copy of Film Stories magazine. Issue 52 has our cover feature with Ridley Scott, in which he talks about gladiators and lots of other things.
