Cover David Jonsson’s rise has been anything but predictable. Here’s how his career led him to one of the MCU’s most significant new roles (Photo: Jas Lehal/PA Images via Getty Images)
David Jonsson’s rise has been anything but predictable. Here’s how his career led him to one of the MCU’s most significant new roles (Photo: Jas Lehal/PA Images via Getty Images)
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From ‘Alien: Romulus’ to Wakanda, discover how David Jonsson landed the role of the next Black Panther in the MCU
If Marvel fans thought San Diego Comic-Con had already delivered enough surprises, Marvel Studios had one more major reveal in store. During the studio’s Hall H presentation, director Ryan Coogler confirmed that David Jonsson will play the grown-up T’Challa II in Black Panther 3, taking on the role of the son of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. The film, which will be the third instalment in the Black Panther franchise, is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 15 December 2028.
For anyone who immediately thought, “Wait, are they recasting Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa?”, there is an important distinction. Jonsson is not replacing Boseman. He is playing his son, a character first introduced as a child in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The boy was introduced by Nakia as Toussaint, before revealing that his Wakandan name is T’Challa. He is therefore the next generation of the Wakandan royal family, rather than a new version of the original hero.
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That makes Jonsson’s casting a particularly significant moment for the MCU. Boseman’s T’Challa became one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes, and Black Panther was more than another superhero origin story. It established Wakanda as one of the MCU’s most important nations while making T’Challa’s family, heritage and responsibilities central to the character.
Now the franchise is moving into a new chapter. Wakanda Forever passed the Black Panther mantle to T’Challa’s sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, following his death. The third film introduces another possibility for the future of the title by bringing T’Challa II into the story as an adult. And Jonsson is arriving with considerably more than a few promising credits behind him.
Who is David Jonsson?
Born on 4 September 1993, Jonsson grew up in Custom House in East London as the youngest of four children. His father worked as an IT engineer at Heathrow Airport while his mother worked for the Metropolitan Police. His heritage includes Sierra Leone Creole, Nigerian, Caribbean and Swedish roots.
His route into acting was not exactly straightforward. After being dismissed from a local school, he transferred to a school in Hammersmith, making a lengthy commute across London each day. During this period, he became increasingly interested in acting.
Jonsson later spent two years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York before returning to London at 18. He joined the National Youth Theatre and subsequently received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2016.
He began his professional career on stage, appearing in a West End revival of Mary Stuart. His performance in and breathe... earned him a Black British Theatre Award, giving him an early indication that his career could extend well beyond the screen.
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David Jonsson’s biggest roles before Marvel
Jonsson’s career has moved remarkably quickly across television, independent film and major genre productions. For Marvel fans trying to work out where they have seen him before, these are the performances worth knowing.
‘Industry’ (2020–2022)
Jonsson first gained wider attention as Augustus “Gus” Sackey in Industry, the BBC and HBO drama about young graduates navigating the ruthless world of high finance. The role established him as part of an ensemble of rising British actors and put him on the radar of international television audiences.
‘Rye Lane’ (2023)
Jonsson then made his feature-film debut in Rye Lane, playing Dom opposite Vivian Oparah. The romantic comedy follows two strangers who meet in South London while dealing with their respective break-ups. Jonsson’s performance earned him a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Joint Lead Performance alongside Oparah.
‘Murder Is Easy’ (2023)
He followed that with the role of Luke Fitzwilliam in the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy. The part gave Jonsson a chance to lead a period mystery and further demonstrated the range that had already become a defining feature of his career.
‘Alien: Romulus’ (2024)
For many international audiences, Alien: Romulus was the performance that really put Jonsson on the map. He played Andy, a synthetic companion whose relationship with the film’s young protagonists becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses.
The performance earned him the 2025 BAFTA Rising Star Award, which is voted for by the public.
‘The Long Walk’ (2025)
Jonsson next appeared as Pete McVries in the film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk. The dystopian thriller gave him another prominent role in a major genre production, adding to a résumé that already spans science fiction, drama, romance and mystery.
‘Wasteman’ (2025)
Jonsson also starred in Wasteman, for which he received a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Lead Performance. The film added another independent project to a career that has continued to balance larger productions with more intimate work.
Why David Jonsson was chosen as the next Black Panther
Jonsson’s casting is particularly significant because T’Challa II is not simply another new hero. As the son of King T’Challa and Nakia, he was introduced in Wakanda Forever as part of the story surrounding his father’s legacy. Now that he is being portrayed as an adult, Black Panther 3 can explore what that legacy means for the next generation of Wakanda’s royal family. Ryan Coogler’s return as director also keeps the franchise under the creative leadership behind its first two films. The film will additionally feature Denzel Washington, who Coogler has said he wrote a role specifically for.
Marvel has yet to reveal the full plot, but Jonsson’s casting confirms that T’Challa II will be at the centre of the next chapter, with Black Panther 3 scheduled for 15 December 2028. He is not replacing his father so much as stepping into a legacy that was already enormous before he was old enough to understand it. For a franchise so closely tied to family, identity and inheritance, that makes Jonsson’s arrival a significant new direction for the MCU.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
