Wakanda Forever! Or for the next five years at the very least. Having scored a blockbuster hit that also entered the zeitgeist with Black Panther, writer/director Ryan Coogler has signed a five-year exclusive TV deal with Disney. The first thing he's working on? A drama series set in Wakanda for Disney+.
That, of course, won't be the only show that Coogler's Proximity Media company develops, though it's by far the most exciting at this stage. Still, he'll be primarily focusing on the Black Panther cinematic sequel, which should be shooting this year and will need to grapple with the death of star Chadwick Boseman. While Coogler has said that the main Panther role won't be recast, it is at least a title that can pass to someone else.
"It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true, says Coogler. "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."