Two television spinoffs for the Black Panther franchise have been announced, with one of them simply being titled Wakanda, and details about the MCU show are slowly being revealed. Wakanda is a secret and technologically advanced nation that is home to the Black Panther and his people. There are five groups living in Wakanda in the MCU, all with different duties and customs: River, Mining, Merchant, Mountain, and Border tribes. The Mountain tribe, also known as the Jabari, is a willful group that considers themselves outside the culture of Wakanda.
Wakanda was first referenced in an Easter egg in Iron Man 2 when the country was briefly shown on a holographic map. It was not until Captain America: Civil War that Wakanda was acknowledged as more than a secret for keen-eyed fans to find. Then, in Black Panther, audiences got an in-depth look at Wakanda, the country, the culture, and its people. There are heroes, villains, and key storylines that have come from the African nation, not the least of which is the importance of Vibranium to the Marvel universe. The new Disney+ series set in Wakanda will flesh out that world.
Wakanda Latest News
After a large break between announcements, it appears the untitled Wakanda series will be delayed, according to delays for MCU Phase 5 and 6 productions, including the Wakanda-focused series. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever appeared to require a significant amount of Ryan Coogler’s creative energy for the series, and the Ironheart show has moved Disney and Marvel’s focus off the Black Panther spinoff. With so many plates being spun for the MCU, it’s not surprising to see production delays in their release schedule.
Wakanda Confirmed
Before Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released in the fall of 2022, director Ryan Coogler was confirmed to be working on an untitled Wakanda series. Coogler’s production company, Proximity Media, signed a five-year deal with Disney that includes television shows for the streaming service. Coogler spoke adamantly about his and his team’s interest in continuing to work with the MCU and Disney. In his comments, Coogler mentioned his excitement in launching his company’s “television business with Bob Iger,” indicating that Coogler may be developing more than one Black Panther spinoff series for Disney+.
Wakanda Release Date
There is not currently a release date for Wakanda, but the series will be a part of MCU Phase 6, according to Digital Spy. The final phase of the Multiverse Saga is scheduled to begin in 2024 and end in 2026 with Avengers: Secret Wars. MCU Phase 6 is not well sketched out at this point and any show taking place in Wakanda could side-step the main storyline of the MCU for a more internal focus on the nation. This untitled project could release at any point in those two years.
Wakanda Cast
There have not been any cast updates for the Wakanda series, but its partner series based on Dora Milaje's leader Okoye will have Danai Gurira returning for the Disney+ show. It is not clear how the untitled Okoye spinoff and the Wakanda spinoff will be related or even if they will be separate at all. Still, there can be some assumptions made about the casting considering Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s ending. Lupita Nyong'o could return as Nakia, but as Nyong’o is currently one of the more in-demand actors in Hollywood right now, her schedule could become too busy to shoot a television series.
Letitia Wright could reprise her role as Shuri, even if it’s only for a cameo. Florence Kasumba and Michaela Coel, of the Dora Milaje, are sure to appear in the Wakanda series. If the Wakanda Disney+ series chooses to explain the other tribes of the nation, M'Baku (Winston Duke) will be key to connecting those plotlines to the film series. Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross may also make appearances in the series in order to tie the show more closely to the overarching MCU story.
Wakanda Story Details
Not much has been revealed in the way of story detail for the Wakanda series. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wraps up neatly, and the mid-credits scene does not indicate that there are any particular stories that need to be told about the titular nation. That leaves the show open to a variety of plot lines. Phases 4-6 of the MCU are dedicated to the Multiverse and Kang. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not have any references to that overall story arc, and the Wakanda series may continue that trend as a supplement to the Multiverse Saga rather than an integral part.
The Wakanda series could also be set in the past, depicting the history of Wakanda and how the discovery of Vibranium accelerated their civilization. Or the story could track any of the groups mentioned in both the Black Panther movies, the different tribes of the nation, the Dora Milaje, or even the War Dogs and show how those operatives are trained before being sent out into the world. Another story the Wakanda series could be about is that of Ulysses Klaue’s first theft of Vibranium in the '90s and the Wakandan’s efforts to apprehend him.
Comic Storylines For Wakanda
Beyond exploring already touched-upon aspects of the MCU, the Wakanda series could mine the rich comic text of Black Panther to create a one-off storyline just for television. “Avengers Of The New World” would bring in the gods of the Wakandans into the story, “Strum Und Drang” involves Wakanda’s antagonistic relationship with the country Latveria and could see the first hint of Doctor Doom in the MCU. Secret Invasion is already confirmed to be coming to Disney+ and its respective comic book arc has Wakanda playing a central role. It’s possible that the Wakanda series includes parts of the Secret Invasion storyline to build toward something bigger.