After nearly 50 years in the entertainment industry, Denzel Washington has shared some details about his future, including retirement plans.
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While appearing on Australia’s Today on Tuesday, Nov. 12, Denzel Washington revealed he has a few more roles left before going into retirement.
“For me, it’s about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career,” Washington explained. “I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m gonna make — probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”
Washington then spoke about his upcoming roles. He is returning to play Othello in Shakespeare’s play. He previously played the role when he was 22 years old and is co-starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the upcoming Broadway production, which starts in Feb. 2025.
“After that, I am playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking to Steve McQueen about a film,” Washington also shared
The actor then noted, “After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’ After that, I’m going to do the film ‘Othello,’ After that, I’m going to do King Lear.”
He further added, “After that, I’m going to retire.”
Denzel Washington Will Star in Third ‘Black Panther’ Film Before Retirement
Before his official retirement, Denzel Washington will take on a role in the not-officially-announced-yet third Black Panther film.
Just before his death in 2020, the original Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman said Washington had paid for his acting school for one summer.
“There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington,” Boseman shared while honoring the actor with an AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019. “My whole cast stands on your shoulders. “The daily battles won, the thousand territories gained, the many sacrifices you made for the culture on film sets through your career, the things you refused to compromise along the way lay the blueprints for us to follow.”
Boseman then added, “And so now, let he who has watered, be watered. Let he who has given be given to.”
Entertainment Weekly reports that Marvel Studios has yet to announce a third Black Panther movie. There are currently seven untitled Marvel films scheduled on Disney’s calendar between 2026 and 2028. Disney+ will be releasing an animated series within the Black Panther franchise called Eyes of Wakanda. It will premiere on the streaming service in Aug. 2025.
The first Black Panther premiered in 2018. Boseman starred in the film and reprised his role in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Unfortunately, before the Black Panther sequel went into production, Boseman passed away while battling cancer.
The sequel premiered in 2022.