Summary

Denzel Washington may play Black Panther in the upcoming movie, potentially honoring Chadwick Boseman. (97 characters)
Washington's role could tap into the multiverse, showing a different side of Black Panther's character. (93 characters)
Adding Washington as Black Panther offers unique storyline options beyond typical MCU hero roles. (87 characters)

Denzel Washington has officially joined the cast of Marvel's Black Panther 3 in an unconfirmed role. Washington will become the latest Hollywood megastar to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there is plenty of excitement around that casting decision.

The third installment in the Black Panther franchise certainly has lots to live up to due to the success of the first two movies, and Washington's character could play a big part in that. Even though it's unknown who he will be, his role in Black Panther 3 might be more obvious than people first think.

How Denzel Washington Could Play Black Panther

MCU's female Black Panther Wakanda Forever Shuri costume

There is a genuine possibility that Washington could play the titular hero himself, Black Panther. Marvel fans might see the iconic actor don the black suit for some fight scenes in this movie, which would create an epic moment. Few people would be expecting Washington to take on that role, but it could be a fantastic way to honor Chadwick Boseman.

Marvel Studios obviously had plenty planned for Boseman’s specific version of the character, and those plans had to be tweaked when he sadly passed away. However, thrusting Washington into the suit could open up the chance for them to be revisited or give a glimpse at what they might have been in an alternate timeline, which Marvel can easily do now.

This can be achieved via the multiverse created in the MCU. Washington could end up being an older version of T’Challa in a different timeline, or he could simply be the next person to don the suit, a tradition that has already been explained within the MCU.

Putting Him In The Suit Would Open Up Lots Of Storylines

In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, stepped into the Black Panther suit and took on that role. She brought a different twist to the character, and it worked perfectly. Not only did it carry on Boseman's legacy, but it also ensured that the Black Panther character could remain within the MCU moving forward.

Audiences expect Shuri to continue in that role moving forward, and there's no reason she can't. However, adding Washington as another version of Black Panther would create lots of storyline options for Marvel within this specific movie. A lot of that would depend on how Marvel creatively decided to put Washington into the suit. Whether that was via flashbacks to the past and he was a former Black Panther, or flashforwards that give a glimpse of a world to come for the character, this can be achieved in many ways.

It would be interesting to see Washington given the role of a major MCU hero in Black Panther 3 rather than just playing a wise supporting character or a villain who will likely be defeated within the movie. Allowing him to take on the character of Black Panther gives him more to showcase while allowing fans to experience what an older, wiser, rugged version of the character might look like. That's something that Marvel won't be able to provide with Shuri for a long time due to her age; therefore, finding a unique storyline to give people a glimpse at how the character could turn out would be interesting. Not every superhero needs to be showcased in their prime, and adding some vulnerability to the role would certainly be interesting from a story perspective.

It Would Tap Into The Multiverse

John_Krasinski_as_Reed_Richards_in_Doctor_Strange_in_the_Multiverse_of_Madness

Marvel has spent a lot of time and effort creating and explaining the multiverse, and so far, it has brought in plenty of surprise appearances. It was clear during Deadpool and Wolverine that nothing is off the table in Marvel movies right now, and that includes the possibility of Washington being Black Panther.

It is easily conceivable that there would be another Black Panther in a different timeline, and if that's the case, then someone other than Shuri would need to play that role. Washington could be the ideal option to do that in Black Panther 3, especially as an older, wiser character. After all, his version of Black Panther doesn't need to be doing all the fight scenes as people expect, as he could also have a completely different outlook on life and how he operates.

Having another version of Black Panther could work as a perfect way of using the multiverse to showcase another side of the character. Washington's version could be completely different from anything we've seen before in the franchise. We could also have him interact with Shuri's character and ultimately help her overcome whatever the main threat will be in Black Panther 3.

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