Lance Joseph Martinez

Who is David Jonsson? 10 Things to Know About Marvel's New Black Panther

Article (news)

<p><strong>Marvel Studios</strong> has finally found its new Black Panther, and fans are eager to learn more about the actor stepping into one of the franchise&#x27;s most iconic roles.</p><p><strong>David Jonsson </strong>has officially been cast as the new<strong> Black Panther</strong> in Marvel Studios&#x27; upcoming film,<strong><em> Black Panther 3</em></strong>, which is scheduled to premiere on December 15, 2028. Taking on the mantle of <strong>Wakanda&#x27;s</strong> legendary protector marks a major milestone in the rising actor&#x27;s career.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785219835594davidjonsson___1785055571_3949648894902767006_2903730488.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">David Jonsson as Black Panther | Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The announcement comes nearly eight years after the passing of the late <strong>Chadwick Boseman</strong>, who famously brought <strong>T&#x27;Challa</strong> to life in the groundbreaking 2018 blockbuster before his death from colon cancer in August 2020.</p><p>With the casting announcement generating excitement across social media, many are now curious about David Jonsson and what makes him the right choice to carry on the legacy of Black Panther. </p><p>Here&#x27;s everything you need to know about Marvel&#x27;s new Black Panther—and why so many fans are celebrating this casting.</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbPiQt0RfDC/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2259628%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong>He is 32 years old.</strong></div><p>Born on September 4, 1993, David Jonsson is a British actor who grew up in<strong> Custom House</strong>, a neighborhood in East London&#x27;s Docklands.</p><p>With <em>Black Panther 3 </em>set to begin production, fans can stay updated on David&#x27;s latest projects and behind-the-scenes moments through his Instagram account, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidjonsson__?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw=="><strong>@davidjonsson__.</strong></a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>He comes from a close-knit family.</strong></div><p>David Jonsson comes from a close-knit family. His father worked as an<strong> IT engineer </strong>at <strong>Heathrow Airport</strong>,<strong></strong> while his mother served with the <strong>Metropolitan </strong><strong>Police</strong>. He is the youngest of four siblings, with an older brother and two older sisters.</p><p>In an interview with <strong>Film Forum</strong>,<strong></strong> David shared that he identifies as <strong>Creole</strong> and has roots tracing back to <strong>Sierra Leone</strong>,<strong></strong> along with <strong>Nigerian</strong>,<strong> Caribbean</strong>, and <strong>Swedish</strong> ancestry.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785219960719davidjonsson___1785055571_3949648896052131976_2903730488.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">David Jonsson and Ryan Coogler | Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>He was expelled from school at the age of 14.</strong></div><p>In an exclusive interview with<em> The Telegraph</em><strong>,</strong> David Jonsson opened up about a difficult chapter in his teenage years, revealing that he was permanently expelled from his <strong>East London</strong> school when he was 14 years old.</p><p>Looking back on the experience, the actor admitted that getting into fights had become a regular part of his school life. &quot;I was fighting quite a lot. It was just something you did back then. We almost had our own fight club. Play fights would become serious. We did our best to make sure the teachers didn’t clock on, but they did.&quot; After being suspended multiple times, David was eventually permanently excluded from the school.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>He spent two years in New York before pursuing acting.</strong></div><p>In the same interview, David Jonsson reflected on how being expelled from school became a turning point in his life. He recalled how seeing his mother&#x27;s reaction made him realize the consequences of his actions.</p><p>&quot;Being a police officer, she was not a fan. She was devastated because she worked really hard. She asked me what I was going to do with my life. It hit me so hard, because disappointing her is something I never want to do.&quot;</p><p>The actor shared that the experience served as a wake-up call. He was later transferred to a school in <strong>Hammersmith</strong>, where he completed his <strong>General</strong> <strong>Certificate of Secondary Education</strong>.<strong></strong> After graduating, Jonsson spent two years in <strong>New York City</strong> before pursuing acting.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785220079839[image] - 403240.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.</strong></div><p>After overcoming the challenges he faced in his teenage years, David Jonsson found a new sense of purpose through acting.</p><p>Recalling the moment he realized his passion, David told <strong></strong><em>Film Forum</em><strong></strong>: &quot;I came home one day, and my mom was like, &#x27;What do you want to do with your life?&#x27; And I was like, &#x27;I want to act&#x27;. And she was like, &#x27;Okay&#x27;. I guess that&#x27;s how I fell into it.&quot;</p><p>After spending two years in New York, David returned to London at 18 and joined the <strong>National Youth Theatre</strong>, where he continued to develop his craft. He later earned a scholarship to study at the<strong> Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)</strong>, graduating with a <strong>Bachelor of Arts in Acting</strong> in 2016.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>He began his acting career in theater.</strong></div><p>After graduating from RADA in 2016, David Jonsson wasted no time launching his professional acting career.</p><p>His first major stage role came when he was cast as<strong> William Davison</strong> in the <strong>Almeida Theatre&#x27;s</strong> production of &quot;<strong>Mary Stuart</strong>,&quot; marking his professional theater debut. The acclaimed play later transferred to the <strong>Duke of York&#x27;s Theatre</strong> in early 2017, giving David his first taste of <strong>London&#x27;s West End</strong>.<strong></strong></p><p>Later that year, he returned to the West End to star in <strong>Don Jua</strong><strong>n</strong> in Soho at <strong>Wyndham&#x27;s Theatre</strong>, where he shared the stage with acclaimed actor <strong>David</strong> <strong>Tennant</strong>.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785220107257[image] - 9349399.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>He made his television debut in 2018.</strong></div><p>After spending several years building his career on stage, David Jonsson made the transition to television in 2018. He made his TV debut with a two-episode appearance in the <strong>ITV</strong> detective drama <strong><em>Endeavour</em></strong>, marking another important milestone in his acting journey.</p><p>David continued to gain momentum the following year when he joined the second season of the <strong>Fox UK</strong> espionage thriller<strong><em> Deep State</em></strong>, taking on the recurring role of <strong>Isaac Turner </strong>and further establishing himself as a rising talent on television.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>He became the first Black actor to lead a screen adaptation of an Agatha Christie story.</strong></div><p>David Jonsson reached another career milestone in 2023 when he landed the lead role of <strong>Luke Fitzwilliam</strong> in the <strong>BBC</strong> adaptation of <strong>Agatha Christie&#x27;s </strong><strong><em>Murder Is Easy</em></strong><em></em><em>,</em><em></em><strong><em> </em></strong>a mystery thriller based on the legendary author&#x27;s 1939 novel of the same name.</p><p>The casting was a historic moment, as David became the first Black actor to headline a screen adaptation of an Agatha Christie story. While the opportunity was groundbreaking, the actor admitted that he initially felt hesitant about accepting the role because of its significance.</p><p>&quot;At first it really shocked me to the point I didn&#x27;t want to do it. It&#x27;s the first time they&#x27;ve had a Black lead in the entire history of Agatha Christie. I love Agatha Christie, and my mum does in particular.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785220139298[image] - 8690216.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">David Jonsson at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards | Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>He earned his breakthrough with <em>Alien: Romulus</em>.</strong></div><p>David Jonsson&#x27;s career reached new heights in 2024 when he joined the iconic <strong><em>Alien</em></strong> franchise in <strong><em>Alien: Romulus</em></strong>, the seventh installment in the long-running sci-fi horror series. Directed by<strong> Fede Álvarez</strong>, the film is set between the events of the original <strong><em>Alien</em></strong> (1979) and <strong><em>Aliens</em></strong> (1986).</p><p>In the film, David portrayed Andy, a synthetic android, who was reprogrammed by Rain&#x27;s late father to become her surrogate brother. His performance earned widespread acclaim and culminated in him winning the <strong>BAFTA Rising Star Award</strong> in 2025.</p><p>Following the film&#x27;s success, David is expected to reprise his role as Andy in the upcoming <em>Alien: Romulus</em> sequel.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>His casting as the new Black Panther marks the biggest role of his career so far.</strong></div><p>David Jonsson&#x27;s casting as the new <strong>Black Panther</strong> was officially unveiled during <strong>Marvel Studios&#x27; Hall H</strong> presentation at <strong>San Diego Comic-Con 2026</strong>, where returning director <strong>Ryan Coogler</strong> introduced the next chapter of <strong>Wakanda&#x27;s</strong> story.</p><p>As David’s name flashed across the screen, the actor walked onto the Hall H stage to a thunderous standing ovation, joining co-stars <strong>Letitia Wright</strong> and <strong>Winston Duke</strong> alongside Marvel Studios president <strong>K</strong><strong>evin Feige</strong>.<strong></strong></p><p>&quot;Thank you to this family that I have the honor and the blessing to join. I don&#x27;t want to say too much, because I want to let the screen do the talking.&quot; David is set to debut as the new Black Panther in <strong><em>Black Panther 3</em></strong><em></em><em>,</em><em></em><strong><em></em></strong> which is scheduled to hit theaters in December 2028.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785220205919[image] - 1298520.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @davidjonsson__</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785220228176[image] - 8438554.jpeg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @davidjonsson</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Lead photos from <strong>@davidjonsson__</strong></p>

<p>Marvel Studios has found its new Black Panther, and fans can't wait to see David Jonsson take on the iconic role. Here's everything you need to know about the rising British actor and why his casting has everyone talking. </p>

Marvel Studios has found its new Black Panther, and fans can't wait to see David Jonsson take on the iconic role. Here's everything you need to know about the rising British actor and why his casting has everyone talking.