Marvel's Black Panther Change Is A Reminder To Watch This Overlooked Movie With 98% On Rotten Tomatoes

Published Aug 24, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Richard Craig is a Senior Author at Screen Rant covering film and TV. Richard has also written extensively about horror and film soundtracks, contributing a chapter to the first major academic collection on the folk horror genre, The Routledge Companion to Folk Horror. Richard is also a performing musician and holds an MA in Music and Sound Art.

Sign in to your ScreenRant account

Marvel's new Black Panther casting makes now the perfect time to revisit one of the best overlooked movies of the decade. Marvel Studios has officially announced that David Jonsson will become the next actor to portray T'Challa, the Black Panther, in the MCU timeline. The news marked a major turning point for one of Marvel's most important franchises.

Following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever chose not to recast T'Challa, instead focusing on the grief felt by Wakanda and allowing Shuri to assume the mantle of Black Panther.

However, it also quietly laid the groundwork for the character's eventual return. Near the end of Wakanda Forever, Nakia introduces Shuri to her son, Toussaint. He then reveals that his Wakandan name is T'Challa, honoring his late father and establishing the future of the royal bloodline.

With Jonsson now confirmed to play the grown-up version of that character, excitement surrounding Black Panther 3 has increased considerably. While many know David Jonsson from projects like Alien: Romulus and television roles, one film remains the best demonstration of why Marvel entrusted him with such a significant responsibility. It's a charming, critically acclaimed movie that earned a remarkable 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes and proves exactly why Jonsson is such an inspired choice for Wakanda's future.

Before he was announced as Marvel's next Black Panther, David Jonsson delivered one of the most charismatic performances of 2023 in Rye Lane. Directed by Raine Allen-Miller, the romantic comedy follows Dom (Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah), two strangers who meet by chance and spend a day wandering through South London. The premise sounds simple, but the execution is anything but.

Rye Lane bursts with energy, color, humor, and personality, creating a love letter to London that feels completely unique. Jonsson is the movie's secret weapon. Dom begins the film heartbroken and awkward following a difficult breakup, but Jonsson makes him instantly likable. His comic timing is excellent, yet he also handles the character's vulnerability with remarkable sincerity.

Every conversation feels natural, making it easy to understand why audiences become invested in Dom's journey. While Rye Lane lacks the scale of a Marvel blockbuster, it exemplifies the qualities that matter most in a leading man. Jonsson commands attention in every scene and demonstrates the kind of charisma that can't be manufactured through special effects or action sequences.

David Jonsson As T'Challa Makes Black Panther 3 More Exciting

Replacing Chadwick Boseman was always going to be one of the most difficult casting challenges Marvel Studios would ever face. Boseman's portrayal of T'Challa became iconic because of the dignity, intelligence, and warmth he brought to the character across multiple MCU appearances. No actor could truly replicate that performance, which is why Marvel's decision to move forward with an another version of T'Challa rather than directly recasting Boseman's character feels significant.

Jonsson's casting suggests Marvel believes it has found an actor capable of carrying the franchise into a new era. Rye Lane demonstrates that confidence is well placed. While the role is dramatically different from Black Panther, the romcom highlights his ability to balance humor, emotional depth, and natural screen presence.

Most importantly, Jonsson doesn't feel like a compromise choice. He feels like an actor ready for a major breakthrough. That makes Black Panther 3 far more exciting because it suggests the franchise isn't simply replacing a beloved hero – it is introducing a performer with the talent to make the role his own while honoring the legacy that came before.