After taking the Mississippi Delta to war against vampires — and a few Klansmen — with Sinners, Ryan Coogler is officially turning his attention back to Wakanda.
During the Sinners panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles, the two-time Oscar nominee confirmed to Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. that ‘Black Panther 3’ is his next movie.
“If it was anybody but you, I would say, ‘I can neither confirm or deny,’” Coogler joked. “But we’re working on it hard. … Yeah, it’s the next movie.”
The confirmation marks Coogler’s official return to the franchise he launched in 2018 with Chadwick Boseman — a cultural milestone that shifted Hollywood, expanded the MCU, and gave audiences a superhero story rooted in legacy, community, and possibility.
Denzel Washington in Wakanda? The Door Is Open.
In November 2024, Denzel Washington casually shook the internet when he revealed during a Gladiator II press stop that Ryan Coogler was “writing a part for me” in the third Black Panther film. Coogler has since confirmed that Washington is indeed being considered for a role in the next installment, which would mark the legendary actor’s first appearance in the MCU.
No further casting details or plot information have been revealed.
So What About the X-Files Reboot?
Back in August, Coogler sounded just as energized — maybe even more — about another high-profile project: his reimagining of The X-Files.
On “Last Podcast on the Left,” he said:
“I’ve been excited about that for a long time and I’m fired up to get back to it. Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really fucking scary.”
He also confirmed he’s spoken with Gillian Anderson (“She’s incredible… fingers crossed”), and that the series is still moving forward under his overall deal with Walt Disney Television. Coogler was first reported to be developing the revival in 2023 after conversations with original creator Chris Carter.
So while Black Panther 3 is his next film, The X-Files remains — in Coogler’s own words — “immediately next” on the TV side.
And given his track record breathing new life into legacy IP (Creed, Black Panther), expectations are high.
Coogler’s Momentum Isn’t Slowing Down
In addition to Sinners, Coogler and his team at Proximity Media — which he runs alongside Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian — have several other projects in development. That includes the adaptation of California Bear, A Vicious Circle, and most recently, the graphic novel Southern Bastards, with Nia DaCosta attached to direct the pilot.
Coogler has built a reputation for elevating legacy franchises while introducing new perspectives, textures, and cultural specificity — whether he’s working in comic-book worlds, supernatural thrillers, or prestige drama. Whenever his name is attached, audiences pay attention.