Marvel Studios has found great success on Disney+, so it didn't exactly surprise us when reports surfaced about Black Panther director Ryan Coogler tackling some sort of Wakanda-set spin-off. First mentioned last February, it's been all quiet ever since, though the filmmaker has been busy with helming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and producing Ironheart.
During a recent interview with Collider, Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore shared a disappointing update on where things currently stand with the small screen project.
"Because of the amount of time and attention that went into this film, and frankly the Ironheart show, that is probably not as far along as people want it to be," he confirmed, "but there are certainly great ideas that we’re still talking to Ryan about. So, we’ll see how far we can get with it."
We still don't know what the focus of that series or standalone Special Presentation might be, though we have previously heard that it could revolve around the Dora Milaje.
Similar to the Ten Rings project that Shang-Chi director Daniel Destin Cretton was said to be working on, we're guessing it will depend on Coogler's schedule. In Cretton's case, he now has Wonder Man and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on the horizon, likely making the spinoff less of a priority. With Coogler, rumours persist he'll helm Avengers: Secret Wars.
In the same interview, Moore also touched on where things stand with Ironheart. Riri Williams will make her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and it sounds like work on the Disney+ series is going well.
"It’s nearly complete," he confirms. "I think they might be on their second to last day, if I’m not mistaken."
So, with or without this Wakanda spinoff series, we have lots to look forward to over the next few years. We do, however, hope it eventually becomes a reality.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to arrive in theaters on November 11, while Ironheart will premiere on Disney+ in 2023.