Black Panther 2 may not start shooting until 2021 says Martin Freeman

Martin Freeman says filming on the Black Panther sequel may not commence for another year or so.

Marvel Studios has numerous film and TV projects in development, including a Black Panther sequel, which was only briefly mentioned at the company’s SDCC panel. Details on the project are scarce, as writer-director Ryan Coogler is now just beginning work on it. However, one star may have provided a clue as to when shooting will commence.

Martin Freeman, who recently confirmed he would return for the sequel, told Uproxx he believes filming won’t begin until at least 2021:

"“The last I heard, we won’t be doing it next year. So, it might be 2021 when we’re making the next Black Panther. That’s all I know.”"

Most were surprised when the Black Panther sequel wasn’t included on Marvel Studios’ official Phase Four slate. Instead, studio head Kevin Feige gave a quick confirmation that it’s in development. As of right now, we can likely assume it will arrive in Phase Five with other films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Blade.

More from Marvel Cinematic Universe

• Loki season 2 finale does set the stage for Kang Dynasty
• Marvel: (Spoiler) exits Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
• Will Loki air a new bonus episode tonight? (November 16, 2023)
• What If…? season 2 gets premiere date (and there’s a major twist)
• Marvel rumors hint Pedro Pascal has been cast in key Fantastic Four role

With the growing number of franchises in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the individual film series’ are getting spread further apart to accommodate new properties. This began in earnest with 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, which was released four years after Thor: The Dark World to make way for new series like Ant-Man and Spider-Man. The same will also be true with the Doctor Strange franchise. When the sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, arrives in May of 2021, it will have been nearly five years since the original hit theaters.

If Black Panther 2 is to shoot in 2021, it would likely be released in 2021. This is a large gap of time but, given the popularity of the franchise, audiences will be actively waiting to see the further adventures of T’Challa by then.

It’s still going be a little while before we see the nation of Wakanda back on the big screen, but fans will have more than enough Marvel films to keep them preoccupied.