Black Panther 2 now has a confirmed release date. While Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame each broke many box office records, one of Marvel Studios' biggest success in recent years was Black Panther. It is the highest-grossing solo superhero movie ever made with over $1.3 billion worldwide. Directed by Ryan Coogler, it became the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture and became Marvel Studios' first Oscar-winning film.
The movie fully introduced Wakanda to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and saw T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) rise to become its king after the events of Captain America: Civil War. He and some other fan-favorite Wakandan characters returned in the last two Avengers films, but many are ready to see them become the centerpieces again in the sequel. Black Panther 2 was confirmed to be in development by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con, but he didn't elaborate on what the timeframe was or what the story could be.
Screen Rant is currently at D23 2019 and Feige returned during the Disney movie panel to discuss Marvel Studios' plans for future movies - and revealed some big news about Black Panther 2. For starters, Black Panther 2 received an official release date of May 6, 2022. Ryan Coogler is returning to write and direct the sequel. Check out the official logo below:
When Marvel Studios announced their Phase 4 slate a few weeks ago, Black Panther 2 was one of the glaring omissions. Now, they've made sure that fans know the sequel is indeed on the way and let us know when it will come out. The May 2022 release will bring the franchise back to theaters over four years since the first film debuted. That is slightly longer than Marvel Studios has operated with in the past. This still wasn't that big of a surprise though, especially after reports that filming could begin in 2021.
However, this date also sees Black Panther 2 take the prime summer release date for that year. This is one of the most coveted slots on the movie release schedule, and one that Marvel Studios has laid claim too over the last decade. The Avengers franchise and solo outings for Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Guardians of the Galaxy have all been released in this slot in the past. While some may wonder why Marvel would move the franchise after Black Panther debuted in Black History Month and had incredibly strong legs (thanks in part to lacking competition), the summer season could drive even more repeat business with kids out of school.
As of right now, Black Panther 2 appears to be the first movie that has been dated for Phase 5. Kevin Feige has said that Phase 4 was only two years long and end in 2021, but that could also have changed. The three recently announced new shows for Disney+ - Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk - are listed as Phase 4 properties. That would be nearly impossible to be true since Marvel already has four series set for 2021 debuts. Whether Black Panther 2 is a Phase 4 film or one in Phase 5, it's just great to have confirmation when it will come.
