Disney+ will be using its platform to build the companies narrative response to the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman by unveiling a new series based on Wakanda. The show as reported by The Verge will allow Disney to expand on Wakanda in the wake of its lead protagonist being off the board due to the tragic death of its star. Like WandaVision the show could be used to explain and set up the world-building needed to transition into Black Panther 2, which is slated to release in 2022.
After Disney announced that it would not recast the titular character comic book and entertainment websites went into a frenzy as to what would happen with the story. Who will take over as Black Panther, why? How will they explain it? Now Disney will have an avenue to put it all together so that there is not a rushed explanation when someone else is donning the suit on screen. It also allows Disney to save the audience from yet another full-on origin story especially if they choose to use an already established character as the replacement. It will give fans and writers alike time to process the loss and move forward with a story worth telling that will fit into the overall story that has been laid out so far.
After the massive success of The Mandalorian and the buzzy popularity of WandaVision Disney has proven that it can take its massive worlds to the small screen and with the massive and growing subscriber base for Disney+ it does not appear that many of the hardcore fans are going to let themselves be left behind. There will of course be those who say “Oh so now I have to watch this show in order to know what is happening later”. And the answer is, if you are asking that question in the first place then you probably don’t care that much regardless. These shows and movies are for the fans and the strategy has worked to the tune of billions in profits. So no. You don’t have to watch the shows if you don’t want to. But when Black Panther 2 rolls out you many ask, hey how did that guy come back? But in the end there will be ample articles from websites dedicated to explaining everything you need to know ahead of time to catch you up if you didn’t see it.
This strategy is a continuation of the comic book philosophy that has been on display at Warner Media and Disney/Marvel for the past year. Comic books have numerous imprints that explore many major themes from multiple angles. The story of the death of Superman was not tackled in one 25 page magazine. It was dozens of issues from multiple imprints. This is what Disney will be doing with its stories overall. And like the comic book fans, those who want to take deep dives into the stories will be able to, while those who just want to see how it all pans out can skip the related content and jump in with the big story when it releases.
