Marvel Studios recently wrapped up a special preview event for the release of What If...? season 2 and also announced an unexpected animation project. The first two episodes of the new What If...? season were shown to attendees.
Following the screening, Disney+ confirmed the release of an animated Black Panther series named Eyes of Wakanda in 2024.
It was also revealed that Spider-Man: Freshman Year has been retitled Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Along with X-Men 97', it will be released in 2024. A second season of Freshman Year, appropriately titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year, was also confirmed at SDCC 2022. There has been no indication on how this title change may affect the earlier 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 suggests that the show will focus more on the War Dogs, Wakanda's group of clandestine agents. You might remember that when we first encountered Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia in Black Panther, she was on an undercover operation as a War Dog. Similarly, flashbacks revealed that Zuri, played by Forest Whitaker, was a War Dog in his earlier days, ordered 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 looking forward to seeing Eyes of Wakanda? Stay tuned to Toonado as we continue our coverage of the surprising announcement and seek for further details.