Ryan Coogler has signed a five-year TV deal with Disney.
The director has penned an exclusive agreement with the media giant, which will include developing a Black Panther-inspired series for Disney+, as well as working on shows for other divisions of the company.
Bob Iger, the executive chairman of Disney, said in a statement: “Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation.”
Ryan helmed 2018’s Black Panther – which became the highest-grossing film by a black director – and Bob is excited to see him develop the new Wakanda-based TV series.
“With Black Panther, Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a watershed cultural moment,” he continued. “We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship and look forward to telling more great stories with Ryan and his team.”
The acclaimed filmmaker – who is currently working on the Black Panther sequel – is similarly excited to have signed an exclusive deal with Disney.
Ryan – who runs Proximity Media – explained: “It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true. As avid consumers of television, we couldn’t be happier to be launching our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the amazing studios under the Disney umbrella.
“We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios where we will be working closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney+.
“We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share.”
