An army assembles in The Woman King, the latest from director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Nanisca had led her people a long time before white men threatened. She trained and commanded an elite group of female warriors for the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful on the African continent. But the encroachment of white men presented a whole new challenge to their power, one that not everyone in Dahomey understood immediately. Sensing the danger, Nanisca worked to get her people ready for the looming battle.
With its grand scope on full display in this trailer, you can see why The Woman King is being pushed as a historical epic. Everything about it feels huge, from its look at a pivotal moment in human history, the brutality of the war that’s ignited, and the massive stars in front of the camera. The legend Viola Davis stars as Nanisca, with John Boyega, Lashana Lynch, and Thuso Mbedu (if you haven’t seen her in The Underground Railroad, correct that immediately) co-starring.
Everything this film promises is the long-awaited payoff to decades of stellar work by Prince-Bythewood, who by rights should have been handed the reigns of massive projects after 2000’s Love & Basketball. But she’s a Black woman in Hollywood, and the industry’s deeply entrenched racism and sexism haven’t allowed her the career she deserved. The door has opened just a crack recently, so of course, Prince-Bythewood is one of the first to step through it. If there’s anyone ready to make this film, it’s her.
The Woman King is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and stars Viola Davis, John Boyega, and Thuso Mbedu. It will be released in the US on September 16th, 2022. For international release dates, click here.
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