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Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Eyes of Wakanda' Is a Bizarrely Brief Return to the African Nation: TV Review
Creator Todd Harris and executive producer Ryan Coogler are welcoming audiences back to Wakanda in Disney+'s latest animated series, 'Eyes of Wakanda.' Venturing beyond the walls of the royal court, while remaining within the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 'Sacred Timeline' (which also houses Coogler's films), the show introduces Wakanda's CIA, the Hatut Zaraze. Tasked with recovering stolen Vibranium artifacts from across the globe, these warriors bravely expose themselves to outsiders, carrying out varied heart-pumping missions to keep their country safe and hidden. 'Eyes of Wakanda' is fun and engaging. However, it's not quite the fully realized narrative that many 'Black Panther' fans might hope to see. The series opener, 'Into the Lion's Den,' follows Noni (Winnie Harlow), a soldier recently ousted from the esteemed Dora Milaje, Wakanda's elite all-female security detail. Given the opportunity for redemption, Noni is sent on a mission to depose Nakati (Cress Williams), the former Captain of the King's Guard. Full of greed and ambition and now living under a new title, Nakati, aka the Lion, has fled Wakanda, stealing an array of Vibranum weapons to make a name for himself around the world. A rebel in her own right, Noni is assigned to bring the traitor to his knees and return the stolen items to their rightful home. Noni is desperate to get back into the Dora Milaje's good graces. Yet, the Lion's forces are a bit more challenging to overcome than she expected. More from Variety Jeremy Renner Is 'Sure' He'll Return for 'Hawkeye' Season 2 and Other Marvel Projects: 'My Body's Getting Ready' What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 'Eyes of Wakanda' Trailer: Black Panther's Ancient History Told in Animated Series From Ryan Coogler The duration of 'Eyes of Wakanda' Season 1 finds Hatut Zaraze's warriors at various points in history. In Episode 2, 'Legends and Lies,' B'Kai (Larry Herron), a devout agent who has been undercover for nearly a decade, finds himself an unwitting participant in Greece's war against the Trojans. In the season finale, Kuda (Steve Toussaint), a veteran operative, is responsible for mentoring Prince Tafari (Zeke Alton), who, desperate for validation as the third-born son, is all too eager to go off mission to attain personal glory. All of the episodes are well-rounded and easy to absorb. However, the standout among them is Episode 3, 'Lost and Found.' By the skin of his teeth, Agent Basha (Jacques Colimon) escapes snow-covered 15th-century China with a Vibranium-infused dragon statue. However, upon returning to headquarters in Wakanda's Golden City, he quickly realizes his covert operation has been infiltrated. To rectify his mistake and prevent his superiors from discovering his errors, he uses his charm and wit. While the majority of the episodes are serious in tone, this one infuses some of the humor and levity that was found woven throughout Coogler's live-action movies, 'Black Panther' and 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.' Though 'Eyes of Wakanda' is intriguing, the four-episode season, which consists of 30-minute stories, is extremely short. Each episode exists as a standalone, but it could also have worked as a feature-length film. 'Black Panther' film fans and those who are more familiar with the lore of the iconic kingdom are offered additional context about the Hatut Zaraze. Yet, the series feels like an epilogue or prologue rather than a complete standalone show. Still, the show is stunning to watch. Axis Animation uses a hand-painted afro-futuristic style, inspired by contemporary Black artists. Because of the varied locations throughout the first season — from Wakanda's Golden City to 12th-century Greece and 19th-century Ethiopia — each setting is vast, robust and highly detailed. Moreover, because 'Eyes of Wakanda' doesn't center on one specific character, audiences are introduced to a vast array of Wakandans across time, who have a huge stake in what will happen to their country if its exquisite resources aren't recovered. Despite its compact length, 'Eyes of Wakanda' is a solid beginning for Marvel's Phase Six. The show introduces viewers to different aspects of Wakandan culture, further reiterating the power and importance of the sacred Vibranium. Though it's not explicit, the show also nods at the horrors of racism, colonization and pillaging as well as the cost of repatriation. Beautifully rendered, the series isn't as expansive as 'Black Panther' lovers might expect, but it's a decent holdover until 'Black Panther 3' debuts. 'Eyes of Wakanda' is now streaming on Disney+. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Tom's Guide
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Marvel Animation debuts first episode of 'Eyes of Wakanda' — and it's got a surprising cameo
Marvel's "Eyes of Wakanda" animated spin-off from the "Black Panther" franchise arrives on Disney Plus in just a few short weeks, but audiences at the Annecy Animation Festival got a special sneak peek of the first episode on Monday. Director Todd Harris introduced the episode, titled 'Into the Lion's Den,' before a Q&A session on June 9. It's the first of four 30-minute-long episodes in the series, which spans Wakanda's 3,000-year-old history to spotlight some of the nation's bravest warriors. Harris, a long-time Marvel Studios storyboard artist who worked on "Black Panther" and its sequel, said the show follows an "anthology" adjacent format." "We have the spark or impetus for the show: someone takes something that doesn't belong to them and like any person or institution, they make a concerted effort to get it back,' Harris told the audience via a Marvel press release. 'Wakanda is a 3,000-year-old society,' he continued. 'They have a very succinct self-identity, and they are preserving that. We get the chance to see the persistence and character of Wakandans. The premise of the show is: What's the kind of culture that builds the Black Panther? You see this even in their generals, their sergeants, everyday citizens.' The show's first episode opens in Crete in 1260 B.C. with a Wakandan general (voiced by Cress Williams) who abandons his post to run a band of pirates. When he steals the nation's top-secret technological treasures to forge his own kingdom, a disgraced former Dora Milaje named Noni (voiced by Winnie Harlow) sets out to bring him to justice. As she braves the seas and brawls her way through the tyrant's henchmen, she uncovers the Hatut Zaraze, a Wakandan secret service tasked with retrieving stolen Vibranium artifacts. "Eyes of Wakanda," which premieres on Disney Plus on August 6, unfolds over different eras as Hatut Zaraze agents track down stolen artifacts throughout history, offering an unprecedented look at Wakanda's history. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. '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, to see this work through," Harris said. "So we kind of hopscotch through time, as we see these people pursue the goals of their country, which is to preserve the secret of their technology and who they are.' Notably, Harris revealed during the Q&A that Marvel characters we know and love will make appearances throughout the show, including Iron Fist, the subject of Netflix's spin-off series of the same name and a member of "The Defenders." The "Iron Fist" show failed to impress fans, with many criticizing how Danny Rand's iteration rarely used his titular powers. Controversy also surrounded the character embodying "white savior" tropes, fueled in part by a white actor being cast in the role of a martial arts superhero. Those problematic elements aside, "Eyes of Wakanda" marks a chance for Marvel to take the backlash to heart. And it seems like Harris has a distinctive vision for the character. "The only thing I can tell you, which is what I was told to be able to tell you, is there will be an Iron Fist in here, and not the Iron Fist you'd expect," Harris said. The character's legacy spans over a century in the comics, making the anthology format an ideal way for the MCU to revive Iron Fist and broaden his on-screen story.
