Four years after being announced, Marvel head Brad Winderbaum has confirmed that the Black Panther spin-off centered around Danai Gurira‘s Okoye is not moving ahead at the studio.
Gurira made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 2018’s Black Panther as Okoye, the General of Wakanda’s female special forces unit, the Dora Milaje. The actor reprised the role in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), What If…? Season 1 (2021), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). In February 2021, as part of Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s five-year overall exclusive television deal with Disney, an Okoye spin-off series was reported to be in development at Marvel Studios. However, roughly four years after being first announced, Marvel has pulled the plug on the Black Panther spin-off.
Speaking with Pay or Wait (via X) for Daredevil: Born Again, Winderbaum, who is Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, confirmed that the Okoye spin-off was no longer in development.
“I think fans of Okoye are going to be excited to see her come back, but I don’t think it’s going to be in a television show. I can’t say where and when, but I think there’s a lot to look forward to,” he stated.
A different Black Panther spin-off is coming to Disney+ this year
Confirmation of the Okoye spin-off’s cancellation comes roughly six months before a different Black Panther series makes its debut on Disney+. In August, the four-part animated anthology series Eyes of Wakanda will premiere on the streaming service. The globe-trotting adventure series will follow the brave Wakandan warriors known as the Hatut Zaraze throughout history as they complete dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artifacts from Wakanda’s enemies.
Eyes of Wakanda features the voices of Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Patricia Belcher, Lynn Whitfield, and Anika Noni Rose, among others. Winderbaum executive produces Eyes of Wakanda alongside Coogler, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Kalia King, and Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt.
Marvel Studios is also in early development on Black Panther 3. After Denzel Washington let slip that he was in talks for a role in the MCU sequel, producer Nate Moore revealed that the actor would likely play “somebody from canon” instead of an original character. Coogler is expected to return as director on the movie to be released after Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Black Panther movies are available to stream on Disney+.
