Lupita Nyong'o and Viola Davis' African Power Epic 'The Woman King' Picked Up by TriStar

TriStar has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to “The Woman King,” a female-fronted epic that will star Lupita Nyong’o and Viola Davis in a true-story tale about Benin warriors in colonial-era Africa.

Davis and Nyong’o will play Nanisca and Nawi, a mother and daughter living in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nanisca is the general of the Amazons, an all-female military unit, and fights alongside her daughter against both neighboring tribes and French forces that threaten to destroy their homeland.

Also Read: Sterling K Brown on Which Secret Was Harder to Keep: 'Black Panther' Role or Jack's Death on 'This Is Us'

“The Woman King is the powerful true story of an extraordinary mother-daughter relationship,” said Hannah Minghella, President of TriStar Pictures. “And there’s no-one more extraordinary than Viola Davis and Lupita Nyong’o to bring them to life.”

“‘Black Panther’ just showed us how the power of imagination and lore could reveal a world without gender and racial stereotypes,” added producer Cathy Schulman of Welle Entertainment. “‘The Woman King’ will tell one of history’s greatest forgotten stories from the real world in which we live, where an army of African warrior women staved off slavery, colonialism and inter-tribal warfare to unify a nation.”

Also Read: 'Black Panther' Could Beat 'Death Wish' and 'Red Sparrow' Combined at Box Office

Schulman will produce with Davis, Julius Tennon of JuVee Productions, and Maria Bello of Jack Blue Productions. Minghella and Nicole Brown will oversee the project for TriStar.

Davis is represented by CAA, the Lasher Group, and Litcher, Grossman, Nichols, and Adler & Feldman. Nyong’o is represented by Del Shaw and CAA.

What's Next for the Cast of 'Black Panther' (Photos)

"Black Panther" is a blockbuster watershed moment, smashing both box office records and expectations for what a majority African American film can do, and launching its brilliant cast to super-stardom. Here are the next projects the film's stars have lined up.
Marvel Studios
1. Chadwick Boseman (T'Challa/Black Panther)
Boseman will next be seen reprising the role of "Black Panther" in Marvel Studios upcoming "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Untitled Avengers Part 4."
Marvel Studios
2. Michael B. Jordan (Erik "Killmonger" Stevens)
Jordan, who brought gravitas and serious political significance to the role of villain Killmonger, will next make his second appearance as boxer Adonis Johnson in "Creed 2."
Marvel Studios
3. Daniel Kaluuya (W'Kabi)
Kaluuya, already a Best Actor Oscar nominee for his breakout role in "Get Out," will next be seen in Steve McQueen's "Widows."
Universal
4. Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia)
Oscar winner Nyong'o will next be seen opposite Josh Gad in the zombie horror-comedy "Little Monsters," and is attached to the upcoming "Charlie's Angels" reboot.
Marvel Studios
5. Danai Gurira (Okoye)
Gurira practically steals the film as the head of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's special forces. She'll be back in the role for "Avengers: Infinity War," opening in May. Until then, fans can still watch her in her breakthrough role as Michonne on AMC's "The Walking Dead."
Marvel Studios
6. Letitia Wright (Shuri)
Another "Black Panther" co-star who practically stole the film, Wright will next been seen in Steven Spielberg's "Ready Player One," which hits theaters March 29. And yes, she'll also be back for "Avengers: Infinity War" in May.
Marvel Studios
7. Forest Whitaker (Zuri)
The prolific Oscar winner has a busy slate with three more films lined up for 2018, including the thriller "How It Ends," and "LAbyrinth" about the murders of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG.
Marvel Studios
8. Angela Bassett (Ramonda)
Bassett won't be showing up in "Infinity War," but you can get your fix this July with "Mission: Impossible - Fallout," where Bassett stars opposite Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill.
Marvel Studios
9. Winston Duke (M'Baku)
Duke, whose portrayal of the powerful Wakandan nobleman and uneasy ally of T'challa was a "Black Panther" fan favorite, will reprise the role in "Avengers: Infinity War."
Abrams Artists

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With ”Black Panther“ smashing through box office records, TheWrap takes a look at what’s next for the the cast of the global blockbuster

"Black Panther" is a blockbuster watershed moment, smashing both box office records and expectations for what a majority African American film can do, and launching its brilliant cast to super-stardom. Here are the next projects the film's stars have lined up.

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What's Next for the Cast of 'Black Panther' (Photos)

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