Ryan Coogler inks Disney TV deal with “Wakanda” series in the works
He will also devise television programs for several other divisions within Disney.
Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has inked a five-year deal with Disney that will include a Wakanda-inspired series for Disney +. On Monday (Feb. 1), the company announced that Coogler will create a show that is set in Wakanda, the imaginary African country that is home to Black Panther and his people. He will also devise television programs for several other divisions within Disney.
“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,” the Fruitvale Station director continued. “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.”
Black Panther surpassed expectations at the global box office, bringing in $1.3 billion worldwide. The film is also the first superhero movie to receive a best picture nomination.
The film’s sequel was originally scheduled to begin filming this March, but the sudden passing of Chadwick Boseman caused the project to be sidelined. Boseman, who played the Black Panther, had been silently battling colon cancer for the past four years. Filming for the sequel is now set to kick off this summer in Atlanta. Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett are all expected to reprise their roles.
Congrats to Ryan Coogler on his new deal.