No stranger to the world of Wakanda, National Book Award-winning author, journalist, and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Ta-Nehisi Coates will be making his first foray into podcasting with Wakanda Forver: The Official Black Panther Podcast launching this Thursday, November 3.
Timed ahead of the world premiere of the highly anticipated theatrical debut of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the companion podcast will explore the next chapter in the story of Wakanda and honor the remarkable legacy of Chadwick Boseman. After its first episode in November, the remaining five episodes will be released weekly in January, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the first Black Panther film.
Guests will include cast and crew, including stars Angela Bassett and Dominique Thorne; score and soundtrack composer and producer Ludwig Göransson; production designer Hannah Beachler; director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw; co-writer Joe Robert Cole; producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore; and more. Each episode, in tandem with guests’ conversation, will weave host narration, Göransson’s original score, film clips and field recordings.
Proximity’s Head of Audio — and official Friend of the NOC — Paola Mardo serves as producer, as well as executive producer alongside Proximity’s founders Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian. A preview of the show, which is the first podcast from Proximity Media’s new audio division, is now available across all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts.
“Ever since Ryan, Zinzi, and Sev entrusted Proximity’s Audio division with this project, our goal has been to tell the story of the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with as much heart and authenticity as the film itself,” said Mardo. “With our premiere episode, we’ve accomplished this goal while breaking new ground in the process, thanks to the awesome collaboration between our incredible host Ta-Nehisi Coates, our talented podcast production team, and our collaborators at Marvel and Disney.”
The first episode will feature a conversation between Coates and Ryan Coogler reflecting on Black Panther’s cultural impact and Chadwick Boseman inspirational legacy.
“There is no storyteller I admire more than Ryan Coogler,” said Coates. “Any chance to partner with him, Proximity Media, and Marvel, is a worthy one. For that opportunity to be a chronicle of the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was simply too good to pass up.”
