In March 2023, rumors began to swirl that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media production company had begun developing an animated series for Marvel Studios. As Marvel Studios revamped their streaming slate and skipped out on SDCC ’23, the series, said at the time to be referred to as The Golden City, remained nothing but a rumor until now. During a press event for Season 2 of What If…? held at the Walt Disney Studios Lot, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the new series will hit Disney Plus in 2024.
Titled Eyes of Wakanda, the animated series will tell the story of “brave warriors” who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.“
One of the rarest metals on the planet, Vibranium came to Earth 2.5 million ago as a series of meteorites crashed into Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. Wakandans mined the Great Mound and learned to refine the precious metal which quickly allowed them to become the most technologically advanced civilization on the planet. Though they worked hard to keep the Vibranium a secret, artifacts have made their way outside the isolationist nation. Captain America’s shield, created by Howard Stark, was made of Vibranium that a group of researchers from Stark Industries located in Africa; aided by N’Jobu, Ulysses Klaue stole a quarter ton of the substance in 1992; and, as seen in Black Panther, a Vibranium Wakandan warhammer was on display in the Museum of Great Britain until it was taken by N’Jadaka.
Given the enormous period of time available for storytelling, Coogler’s Proximity Media has the opportunity to explore some previously unexplored eras of the MCU’s timeline, though no indication has been given at this time Eyes of Wakanda will be considered canon. As of now, no release date has been given by Disney.
