Disney has inked a five-year overall exclusive television deal with Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media, which he shares with principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, and Peter Nicks. While in the midst of prepping a sequel to 2018's Black Panther, Coogler will also oversee the development of a drama based in the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney+. Did you hear that? We're getting a Black Panther series, y'all!
“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation,” said Bob Iger, Executive Chairman, The Walt Disney Company. “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.”
“It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true," said Coogler on behalf of Proximity Media. "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. 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.”
How Coogler will address the loss of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman – who passed away after a four-year battle with colon cancer in August 2020 – in either of his upcoming projects remains to be seen. One possibility is for the Black Panther mantle to be passed to Shuri (Letitia Wright), T'Challa's sister, though no official plans to do so have been confirmed. Shuri, while having a complicated history in the pages of Marvel Comics, does indeed become the Black Panther and oversees the safety of the Wakandan people for a limited time.
Oh wow, this has the potential to be awesome. There are plenty of exciting characters to meet in Wakanda as well as places we've yet to explore in the 2018 film. I would love to experience a series that investigates the history of Wakanda, and how it became a mecca for scientific advancement and creativity over time. With Ryan Coogler at the helm, I don't see how this could disappoint. Wakanda Forever!