EXCLUSIVE: The Walt Disney Company has its relationship with Black Panther director and co-writer Ryan Coogler. Disney has signed an all-inclusive five-year television deal with Coogler’s Proximity Media, which he runs with principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Peter Nicks. Coogler, who is working on the Black Panther feature sequel he’s directing this year will develop new television series for the studio. The first will delight Black Panther fans: a drama from the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney +. The deal also allows Proximity to develop television for other divisions of the company.
“Ryan Coogler is a remarkable storyteller whose vision and reach have made him one of the most outstanding filmmakers of his generation,” said Bob Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company. “With Black Panther, Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a cultural turning point. We are excited to strengthen our relationship and look forward to sharing more great stories with Ryan and his team. “
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Coogler said, “It is an honor to work with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them Black Panther was a dream come true. As avid television users, we couldn’t be more happy to have launched our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the great studios under the Disney umbrella. We look forward to learning, growing and building relationships with audiences around the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited to take our first plunge with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios, where we will work closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney +. We are already in the mix on a number of projects that we can’t wait to share, “said Ryan Coogler on behalf of Proximity Media.”
Coogler, together with Zinzi Coogler, Ohanian, Göransson, Davis and Nicks, founded the multimedia company Proximity with the mission of creating event-driven feature films, television, soundtracks and podcasts that seek to bring audiences closer together through stories on topics that are often about the be overlooked. . Proximity aims to generate a wide variety of projects at all budget levels.
Coogler’s rise to the Hollywood A-list was lightning fast. His debut was praised Fruitvale Station, and he reunited with Michael B Jordan Creedafter persuading Sylvester Stallone to revive him his Rocky Balboa character and franchise. Creed has become its own franchise. Coogler then followed with Black Panther, a film that grossed more than $ 1.3 billion worldwide, the most for a black filmmaker’s film. It created a global zeitgeist and became the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Star Chadwick Boseman passed away last year, and Coogler and Disney are moving on with a sequel he’s written, one that no other actor will recast in that role.
The deal was negotiated on behalf of Proximity Media by WME, Charles King of M88 and Jonathan Gardner, Esq. from Cohen & Gardner.