John Boyega Has An Intriguing Idea For A Sequel To The Woman King
On September 16, 2022, "The Woman King" from director Gina Prince-Bythewood arrived in theaters across the United States. The historical drama tells the tale of the Agojie: the all-female fighting force that defended the Dahomey kingdom in the early 1820s, led by General Nanisca (Viola Davis). When a threat emerges and threatens her people's way of life, she rallies her allies and leads them to victory. For her bravery and tireless efforts to keep those she cares about safe, Nanisca is awarded the title of woman king by King Ghezo (John Boyega).
While it's far from historically accurate, "The Woman King" has performed incredibly well by all metrics. It's an undisputed homerun with general audiences and critics alike, and when it comes to financials, it's showing promise as its theatrical run continues. With that said, as a historical drama, it seems like the kind of film that's strong enough to stand on its own without a myriad of sequels, spin-offs, and streaming show tie-ins. Then again, should the opportunity arise, surely, if the minds behind the movie wanted to, they could iron out a sequel in no time flat.
In fact, if you ask John Boyega, there's a "Woman King" sequel concept looking us right in the face. Here's what the King Ghezo actor has in mind for the hypothetical continuation.
Boyega wants to explore more of the real history of King Ghezo
Thuso Mbedu, who plays Nanisca's daughter Nawi in "The Woman King," had some interesting comments to share during an interview with Variety. She recalled to the publication what John Boyega had pitched to her as a potential sequel that would paint King Ghezo in a more historically-accurate light. "To go back to the history of the Dahomey — where he isn't really a favorable king in real history. He would want us to touch on that in the second one," Mbedu said, hinting that he could play more of a villainous role given his real-life role in the slave trade as a means of economic gain.
While this certainly sounds like an interesting approach to take, it would shift the spotlight away from Nanisca to some degree. As it turns out, though, Viola Davis wouldn't mind a limited role in a potential sequel anyway. Mbedu told Variety, "Viola keeps saying, 'If there's a sequel, I'm gonna die in the first five minutes.' She's like, 'Thuso, I'm going to be toothless and on my deathbed.'" Mbedu also notes that, generally speaking, Gina Prince-Bythewood isn't a fan of sequels and doesn't seem to have any immediate plans for a "Woman King" follow-up. Although, she does find Boyega's pitch interesting.
Maybe someday we'll get to see a sequel to "The Woman King," and perhaps John Boyega's King Ghezo-centric story will be realized fully on the silver screen.