Marvel is diving headlong into a female-led future. Parent company Disney, meanwhile, has announced a pair of series steeped in Afrofuturism, tapping a roster of African animators from across the continent.
As reported by Variety, the studio has given the go-ahead to Kizai Moto: Generation of Fire, a 10-part animated series combining sci-fi, fantasy, spiritualism, monsters and Afrofuturism with one foot in the lore of various cultures. The project will be led by Cape Town animation house Triggerfish and feature films by directors from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Nigeria.
"There are stories that touch on other worlds, time travel, and alien beings, but all of these genre conventions are seen through an African lens that makes them totally new," executive producer Peter Ramsey said in a statement carried by Variety. "I can't wait for people to have their minds blown and say, 'I want more!'"
Translated as "fire generation" in Swahili, Kizazi Moto is set to debut worldwide on Disney+ in 2022.
The announcement came shortly after Disney announced the new Afrofuturistic animated series Iwájú during the Annecy Animation Festival. The Disney+ series, also set to premiere in 2022, takes place in a sci-fi-veiled Lagos, Nigeria and explores classism. It is a collaboration with studio Kugali.
Disney has already seen great success in its embrace of Afrofuturism: Marvel's Black Panther, set in a high-tech shadow nation, was a global phenomenon when it premiered in 2018. A sequel, titled Wakanda Forever, is set for release in 2022.
Beyond the upcoming pair of Afrofuturist fare, Disney Africa announced the development of the kid-focused Kiff, a musical comedy about the friendship between a squirrel and a rabbit also set for arrival next year.