Coming off of her Tony Awards win for best actress in a musical, Adrienne Warren and Sheila Atim join the cast of The Woman King for TriStar Pictures.
Warren and Atim join Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu who topline the film and John Boyega and Lashawna Lynch who were previously cast in the film.
Gina Prince Bythewood is directing and Dana Stevens wrote the original screenplay with the current draft being by Stevens and Prince-Bythewood.
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The film is a historical epic inspired by actual events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey. It is one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The story follows Nanisca (Davis), the general of the all-female military unit, and her daughter Nawi . They fought the French and neighboring tribes who violated their honor, enslaved their people, and threatened to destroy everything they’ve lived for.
Warren and Atim will play warriors in Nanisca’s elite unit. Mbedu is cast as Nawi, taking over for the role Lupita Nyongo was once cast in. Lynch will play a charming veteran warrior. Boyega will play Dahomey’s ruler, King Ghezo.
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Davis and Julius Tennon will produce The Woman King via their JuVee Productions
Cathy Schulman will also produce via her Welle Entertainment, along with Maria Bello of Jack Blue Productions. Nicole Brown and Shary Shirazi are overseeing the project for TriStar Pictures.
The Woman King will begin shooting in November in South Africa.