Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Samir Hussein/WireImage While appearing on the7pm in Brooklyn podcast,Black Panther 3writer Ryan Coogler said he had written a role for Denzel Washington "I've been trying to work with him since day one," he admitted, calling the iconicTraining Daystar "family" Black Panther 3is slated for release in February 2028 WhenRyan Cooglerbegan thinking about the cast ofBlack Panther 3, top of his list wasDenzel Washington. While appearing on the newest episode of the7PM in Brooklynpodcast, which landed on Thursday, June 5, Coogler, 39, explained that working with theTraining Daystar has long been on his bucket list. "Denzel is family at this point…I've been trying to work with him since day one," theBlack Pantherdirector told hostCarmelo Anthony. "I think he's the greatest living actor, and in terms of what he means to our culture, forget about it. I've been talking to him about this for a long time." Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty In November 2024, Washington, 70, let slip that he and Coogler were in talks about the upcoming film, which Coogler was surprised to learn. "I was surprised when he mentioned it, but it's not like it's not true," he told Anthony. Roy Rochlin/Getty OnAustralianToday, Washington said Coogler was "writing a part for me in the nextBlack Panther. After that, I'm going to do the filmOthello. After that, I'm going to doKing Lear. After that, I'm going to retire," Washington said, perVariety. The PEOPLE Appis now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! "For me, it's about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best. I don't know how many more films I'm going to make. It's probably not that many. I want to do things I haven't done," the actor admitted. As for Washington's next move, he is set to star inHighest 2 LowestalongsideSpike Lee, and Coogler expressed on the podcast how much he's looking forward to seeing the project. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I'm so hyped for this," Coogler said of the film slated for release in August 2025. "That trailer — the monologue Denzel [is] in rare form. I just can't put no words to how excited I am, man, because when [Lee] and Denzel get together, it's always a masterpiece." The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Last month, Coogler's movieSinnerswas released in theaters, starring his longtime collaboratorMichael B. Jordan,Hailee Steinfeld, and Miles Caton. It centers around "twin brothers returning to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back," per IMDb. Coogler had the chance to show his mentor Spike Lee the project and said that the experience was "surreal." "For me to give Spike a cinematic experience. I'm just paying him back with interest, bro," Coogler explained. "It meant the world to me....I cried." Black Panther 3is set to hit theaters in February 2028, per IMDb.Black Panther,starring the lateChaswick Boseman, was released in January 2018.Black Panther 2arrived in theaters in November 2022. Read the original article onPeople
