'Black Panther' spin-off series in the works for Disney Plus
A Black Panther spin-off series based on the Kingdom of Wakanda is being developed for Disney Plus.
According to Marvel, Black Panther writer-director Ryan Coogler is working on a television series centered on the fictional kingdom of Wakanda. The project is reportedly part of a five-year overall exclusive television deal with Coogler's Proximity Media. The deal will also allow Proximity to develop television for other divisions of the Company.
“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.”
Meanwhile, other details about the upcoming project including the cast, number of episodes and the series' target release date remain unclear as of this writing.
“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 on behelf of Proximity Media. "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."
Apart from the upcoming TV series, Coogler is also working on Marvel Studios' Black Panther 2. The film sequel will reportedly continue the legacy of Chadwick Boseman and his portrayal of King T'Challa and will also explore the world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.
Marvel earlier confirmed that the studio won’t use a digital double for Boseman, who passed away last year after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
“No. There is only one Chadwick, and he is not with us. Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to history and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really,” Marvel Studios Executive Vice President Victoria Alonso said.
Black Panther 2 is slated to premiere on July 8, 2022.