The Marvel Cinematic Universe may not have had many new projects to offer over the past year, but the future of the MCU on Disney+ is looking brighter than ever with the announcement of a new TV show on the way. Ryan Coogler, who directed and co-wrote the 2018 smash hit Black Panther, is bringing the world built for that movie to the small screen.
Ryan Coogler, with his production company Proximity, has secured a five-year deal with Disney that will involve new TV shows, with the first confirmed one based in Wakanda and headed to Disney+. Although details are scarce at the time of writing, this Wakanda-based show is said to be a drama. Coogler was already slated to revisit the world of Wakanda in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, and a television show will presumably allow him to expand on what he built on the big screen.
No announcements about the timeline for the Wakanda series have been made just yet, nor about the actors who will fill out the cast. Considering that the first three MCU TV shows coming to Disney+ are boasting big names from the feature films, the new show from Ryan Coogler could conceivably feature some Black Panther actors. With Black Panther 2 expected to begin filming later this year and few details revealed about the TV show, the odds are pretty good that the movie will release before the show, which could impact which members of the movie's cast might appear.
After all, the MCU TV show slate on Disney+ is already pretty packed. Before 2021 is even half over, Disney+ will have premiered WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki. What If...? (which will feature the late Chadwick Boseman) is slated for summer 2021, with Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye (also boasting an MCU film actor in the title role) in late 2021. The Wakanda series from Ryan Coogler joins She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Ironheart and more without dates set in stone. Still, a Wakanda show from Ryan Coogler is a big reason for fans to get excited.
Ryan Coogler certainly seems to be excited about the new deal with Disney. Via a statement, Coogler said:
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. 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.
Even though Ryan Coogler didn't drop details about the who, what, when, where, or how of the Wakanda series that is in the works, he revealed that he and his production companies are already working on multiple projects, so there's good news out of this deal beyond the new TV show with ties to Black Panther. His comments also indicate that Disney+'s already-packed slate of MCU series isn't going to run out of content any time soon. The future of the MCU is on both the big screen and the small screen.
For now, we can only wait and hope for more details on what to expect from this TV show. There are still big questions about what will happen in Black Panther 2 and how exactly it will handle T'Challa's legacy following the death of Chadwick Boseman and decision not to recast the role. If you're in the mood for some Wakanda action while waiting for more news about the Ryan Coogler series, you can find all four movies featuring Chadwick Boseman and Wakanda streaming on Disney+, starting with Captain America: Civil War and continuing with Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
