First Video Sneak Peek Released for Eyes of Wakanda: The New Black Panther Spinoff Animated Series

The first look at Eyes of Wakanda, the new Black Panther spinoff from Disney+ and Marvel Animation, is finally here. The series, made up of four animated episodes, is set to premiere on August 27th. Fans now have a chance to see the exciting new adventure through the official sneak peek and images that were recently released.

Todd Harris, the showrunner and director, gave some hints earlier this summer about what the show will be like. Now, the story and characters are becoming clearer. Eyes of Wakanda follows a group of brave Wakandan warriors called the Hatut Zaraze. These warriors take on dangerous missions across different time periods to recover stolen Vibranium artifacts from Wakanda’s enemies.

The voice cast features some familiar names. Winnie Harlow, known from America’s Next Top Model, voices Noni, a key character. Cress Williams, famous for Black Lightning, plays the Lion. Other voice actors include Patricia Belcher, Larry Herron, Adam Gold, Lynn Whitfield, Jacques Colimon, and more.

Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, and Steve Toussaint from House of the Dragon also join the cast.

At a presentation during the Annecy animation festival, Harris revealed that the first episode, titled Into the Lion’s Den, is set in 1260 BC. The story focuses on Noni, a former Dora Milaje member who is now disgraced and must track down the Lion.

The Lion used to be part of the Wakandan guard but stole important technology and formed his own pirate crew made up of fighters from around the world. Each episode stands on its own, but all are connected by the effects of the Lion’s actions on Wakanda’s history.

Harris also teased a surprise about a character related to Iron Fist, saying, “There will be an Iron Fist in here, and not the Iron Fist you expect.” He described the show as “anthology adjacent,” meaning the episodes tell separate stories tied together by the idea of someone taking what doesn’t belong to them and Wakanda’s fight to get it back. But the series isn’t just about action. It also shows the deep commitment Wakandans have to their country’s future. Harris explained, “Wakanda is a 3,000-year-old society. They have a very succinct self-identity, and they’re preserving that.”

He added that the series gives viewers a chance to see the strength and patience of the Wakandan people as they protect their culture and secrets over centuries. “Everybody in Wakanda is like a physicist… you see their patience over centuries to see work that they will never be able to see get finished, but they believe in their mission as a culture,” Harris said.

Ryan Coogler, who directed and executive produced the Black Panther films, gave the creative team plenty of freedom to explore Wakanda’s past. Harris shared, “Ryan really just let us go hog wild. He was very inspirational.” One idea they played with was imagining what it would be like if Wakandans led the Sea People during the Bronze Age — a group known for raiding others.

Eyes of Wakanda is directed by Todd Harris and executive produced by Ryan Coogler, along with Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, and the Proximity Media team including Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Kalia King.

This information comes from recent statements by Todd Harris and the official sneak peek materials released by Disney+ and Marvel Animation.

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