Disney+ is breaking the mold once more with Marvel Studios' next series, Eyes of Wakanda. Not only is the Marvel Studios Animation show unique for being set within the MCU's live-action Sacred Timeline, but it's also making history with how and when fans can watch it.
As confirmed by Entertainment Weekly, all four episodes of its Black Panther-inspired Eyes of Wakanda will drop on Disney+ on August 1, 2025. While Marvel Studios' Echo premiered all six of its episodes on the same day, and Season 2 of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur did the same, Eyes of Wakanda is different in that it's the first Marvel Studios Animation series to opt for the binge release model.
Marvel Studios, particularly Marvel Studios Animation, has experimented with different release strategies. For instance, Season 2 of What If...? dropped new episodes daily, as did Season 3. More recently, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man premiered its first two episodes together before releasing the remainder of the season in groups of two or three episodes. While Eyes of Wakanda is a short series consisting of only four episodes, making them all available at the same time is definitely a new venture. The question now is whether Disney+'s Marvel Zombies, which is also releasing in 2025, will follow suit.
Created by Todd Harris and described by Disney+ as an action-adventure series, Eyes of Wakanda follows the Hatut Zaraze throughout history as they embark on missions to recover lost Vibranium artifacts. Starring Cress Williams as the Lion, a former Wakandan general-turned-pirate, and Winnie Harlow as Noni, a former member of the Dora Milaje, Eyes of Wakanda is the first show within Phase 6 of the MCU and will premiere on August 1 on Disney+.
4 Reasons To Get Hyped for Eyes of Wakanda
In addition to Eyes of Wakanda being Marvel Studios' next Disney+ series and an extension of the Black Panther franchise, there are several reasons why fans should be excited about this project.
New Art Style
Adding to the list of reasons why Eyes of Wakanda is a first for Marvel Studios Animation is its look. Provided by Axis Animation and inspired by contemporary African-American artists, Eyes of Wakanda features a hand-painted style and cultural influences that have never been seen in previous shows from the studio. But even so, artwork for the series - specifically the show's stunning first poster - suggests that Eyes of Wakanda may also find ways to reflect the Wakanda and Black Panther imagery that fans are familiar with from the MCU.
Wakandan History
Ever since 2018's Black Panther, Wakanda has been one of the most compelling and important locations within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But while its history, culture, and traditions are apparent and clearly important to the Wakandans, MCU fans have only seen the nation within the present day. Eyes of Wakanda looks to change that as it dives into the nation's history, likely adding new significance and understanding of Wakandan traditions, technology, its heroes and villains, and its long history of secrecy.
Iron Fist
At D23 2024, the Eyes of Wakanda team teased the audience that the show will feature more heroes from "secret cities," including one with a "glowing fist," suggesting that audiences will likely see an Iron Fist in the upcoming series. Since the mantle dates back through history, Eyes of Wakanda's historical storytelling is an ideal vehicle to explore the lore behind the Iron Fist persona and ahead of the character potentially crossing over into the MCU.
New MCU Connections
Since the Black Panther-inspired series takes place in the prime MCU timeline, there's an opportunity for the show to connect with other Marvel Studios films, characters, and canonical historical events. Connectivity and purposeful cameos have been missing in Marvel projects in recent years, and Eyes of Wakanda may help to remedy that. There's also a possibility that the animated series may finally tell a Captain America story fans have been asking about.
