Deadline reported that Coogler, who also is directing a film sequel to “Black Panther,” will develop several television shows as part of a new five-year overall exclusive television deal between Disney and Coogler’s Proximity Media. Other details about the Wakanda show, including an official title, casting details, and a release date, were not provided. “Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation,” Disney executive chairman Bob Iger said in a statement. “With ‘Black Panther,’ Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a watershed cultural moment. We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship and look forward to telling more great stories with Ryan and his team.”
Wakanda is the fictional African nation that serves as Black Panther’s home in Marvel comics and Marvel Cinematic Universe lore. The culture and politics of the nation were explored in the “Black Panther” film, which starred Chadwick Boseman as the titular superhero. Boseman died in 2020; Disney has stated that it will not recast Boseman in the “Black Panther” sequel, which is slated to premiere on July 8, 2022. Coogler’s Wakanda series, which will be the director’s first television show, is one of several Marvel Cinematic Universe shows that will premiere on Disney+. “WandaVision” premiered on the streaming service in January, while titles such as “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Loki,” “Hawkeye,” “Ms. Marvel,” “She-Hulk,” and a handful of other shows will be released on the platform in the future. As for Coogler, he previously directed acclaimed films such as “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed.” “It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on ‘Black Panther’ was a dream come true. As avid consumers of television, we couldn’t be happier to be launching our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the amazing studios under the Disney umbrella,” Coogler said in a statement. “We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios where we will be working closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney+. We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
