In a new trailer for the upcoming historical epic The Woman King, Viola Davis is an action warrior who leads her all-female legion into battle.
Venerable actress Viola Davis is an action warrior in the trailer by The Woman King. Davis plays the role of the general Nanisca, the leader of the Dahomey Amazons (also known as Agojie or Mino), the all-female regiment of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey.
Originally based on a story by actress Maria Bello, the film is written by Dana Stevens, scribe of The Nightingale, and Gina Prince-Bythewood of Love & Basketball, who will also be the director of the film. The Woman King centers on Nanisca who leads her army of female warriors against a European invasion that threatens their kingdom. John Boyega, Sheila Atim, Lashana Lynch, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Thuso Mbedu complete the cast.
. In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, Davis shared that she trains four hours a day, five days a week to physically prepare for the role: “Bodybuilding, sprinting, martial arts and machete weapons training”.
"The Woman King was announced in the wake of the success of 'Black Panther' and thanks to pandemic-related delays, it's only now that we can finally see the story come to life. It's a shame it took a massive blockbuster movie to prove to studios that stories featuring dark-skinned female warriors were worth telling, but hopefully this feature becomes the success it surely deserves to be and that the film will help pave the way for even more stories of the rich and remarkable history of Africa's historical figures.” she said
Numbering nearly six thousand at their peak, the warriors of Dahomey existed for almost three hundred years until their defeat by the French in the Second Franco-Dahomean War at the end of the 19th century. Their ferocity and legend inspired the creation of the all-female Dora Milaje in the Black Panther Marvel comic book series. Underground Railroad star Mbedu will play a young recruit from Dahomey who will be taken under Nanisca's wing. The real Nawi was believed to be the last surviving member of Dahomey, living until 1979. The Woman King will be released in theaters exclusively on September 16.
JenJam
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