Ryan Coogler Will Direct the BLACK PANTHER Sequel

Ryan Coogler is set to write and direct the sequel to the blockbuster hit, "Black Panther," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Black Panther" centers on T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, the king of a fictional African country. The character was first introduced in "Captain America: Civil War" and was then seen recently in "Avengers: Infinity War." "Black Panther" was a critical and commercial success, grossing $700 million domestically and over $1.3 billion worldwide. The film is even considered to be in Oscar contention.

In the weeks prior and after the film's February release, both Marvel and Coogler's camp were hounded about when a sequel deal would be inked. Typically, a filmmaker is more than willing to quickly sign on for a follow-up, and a studio is eager to snap up a key piece of talent in the lead-up to or right after a successful opening. But Coogler's camp shook off the peer pressure and took its time in making a deal, which occurred under the radar some time ago.

Sources say the plan is for Coogler to write the script in 2019, with an eye to star production late next year or early 2020. There has been no official word from Marvel and Disney about the release dates of any films after "Avengers 4" and "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

Coogler is currently in development on the drama "Wrong Answer" with Michael B. Jordan. He's also executive producing the LeBron James' "Space Jam" sequel and "Creed 2."

Read the original article on The Hollywood Reporter.