Marvel Studios just concluded a special preview event for the release of What If...? season 2 and also confirmed a surprise animation project is on the way. Attendees were treated to the first 2 episodes of the new What If...? season.
After the screening, an animated Black Panther series titled Eyes of Wakanda was revealed and confirmed to be released on Disney+ in 2024.
It was also revealed that Spider-Man: Freshman Year has been retitled Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. It will also be released in 2024, along with X-Men 97'. At SDCC 2022, it was announced that a second season of Freshman Year, aptly titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year was also in development. There's no word on how this title change could impact that previous announcement.
Freshman Year was originally intended to have a clear connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But now that things have shifted, the program will explore a What If...? style concept that reimagines Spider-Man: Homecoming's events in a very different way. Since it's initial announcement, Tom Holland has cut ties with the project.
A sizzle reel with footage from Eyes of Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men 97' was revealed so it seems as if all three projects are pretty far into production.
Not much else was revealed about Eyes of Wakanda and the fact that Freshman Year is now taking place on an alternate earth means the same could be true for that show, as well.
The title seems to imply that the show will focus more on the War Dogs, the undercover spies for Wakanda. You'll recall that when we first met Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia in Black Panther, she was in the middle of an undercover mission as a War Dog. Likewise, flashback scenes revealed that Forest Whitaker's Zuri was also a War Dog in his younger days, sent to spy on King T' Chaka's younger brother, N'Jobu, played by Sterling Brown.
Back in February 2021, an Untitled Wakanda Series for Disney+ was announced but there's been no details on the show, other than the fact that it was being developed by Ryan Coogler and that it would feature and possibly star Danai Gurira's Okoye. Though to be a live-action series, perhaps it has turned into an animated production? We're going to tip our hats to The Cosmic Circus who posted this rumor back in September which now looks to be true.
According to reports, the animation style for Eyes of Wakanda was "hyperstylized" and distinctly different from how the animation in What If...? looks.
Also, at the conclusion of the event, the creative team for What If...? stated that they are currently working on season 3.
With these latest announcement the 2024 MCU slate now features Echo, X-Men 97', Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Deadpool 3, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries and Eyes of Wakanda.
Are you excited by the prospect of Eyes of Wakanda? Keep it locked to CBM as we continue our coverage on the surprise announcement and look to unearth a few more details.