Ryan Coogler has signed a five-year deal between Disney and his production company, Proximity Media—paving the way for a Disney+ series set in Wakanda, among other projects.
As Deadline Hollywood reports, the television deal will see Proximity—co-helmed by Zinzi Coogler, Archie Davis, Ludwig Göransson, Sev Ohanian, and Peter Nicks—produce a variety of projects under various Disney umbrellas. The banner’s mission is “to create event-driven feature films, television, soundtracks and podcasts that look to bring audiences closer together through stories involving often-overlooked subject matters [in] a wide variety of projects across all budget levels.”
Coogler will direct Black Panther 2 this year, which will proceed without recasting the late Chadwick Boseman. The Wakanda series will presumably continue where the sequel leaves off, and given the current release schedule, may fall into “Phase Five” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms,” Coogler said in a statement on behalf of Proximity Media. “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.”
“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation,” said Walt Disney Company Executive Chairman, Bob Iger. “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.”
Black Panther 2 is currently scheduled to hit theatres July 8, 2022.
