Eyes of Wakanda showrunner reveals the unlikely inspirations behind the animated Black Panther spin-off, from Predator to Jackie Chan movies – and teases possible season 2: "It's Marvel, there's always more

Eyes of Wakanda showrunner Todd Harris says the new show has quite the list of unlikely inspirations...and that he has high hopes for a second season.

"We were firing on all cylinders making up stuff, and then money, time and reality makes you focus and harness what we got," Harris says in the new issue of SFX magazine, which features Alien: Earth on the cover and hits newsstands on Wednesday, July 16. "We picked our favourites of our favourites. I would say they're a love letter to some of my favourite movies. If you like Conan The Barbarian, if you like Gladiator, if you like Jackie Chan movies, if you like Terminator, if you like Predator, they’re going to serve a bit to that all over the place."

The animated series, which marks the 15th TV series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first of Phase 6, spans just four episodes that each tell a story about the Hatut Zeraze, who embark on dangerous missions to retrieve vibranium artefacts in different eras of world history. In the comics, the Hatut Zeraze act as Wakanda's secret police, using unconventional (and violent) methods to defeat the enemies of the hidden nation. In the MCU, they act as Wakandan sleeper agents and spies stationed who are throughout the world.

The voice cast includes Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Lynn Whitfield, Jacques Colimon, Jona Xiao, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Gary Anthony Williams, Zeke Alton, Steve Toussaint, and Anika Noni Rose.

"There are always more stories," he says, when asked about a potential second season. "No artist, no writer, no anybody ever does too little when it comes to creativity. I've never seen anyone turn in the script and go, 'It just wasn’t long enough!' So yeah, we definitely have more in the tank. And it's Marvel. There's always more."

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Eyes of Wakanda hits Disney Plus on August 27, with all four episodes in tow. Read more in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which will be available from Wednesday, July 16. Here's the Alien: Earth cover you need to be looking out for on newsstands below...