The woman king is off to a strong start after its first week in theaters. The movie saw a $19 million opening and currently has a new 99% viewership on Rotten tomatoes. The woman king is a historical epic inspired by the true events that took place in the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states in Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The film featured a talented cast, including a starring role by Oscar winner Viola Davis. Additionally, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega, Masali Baduza and Hero Fiennes Tiffin would join her to round out the cast.
Gina Prince-Bythewood headed the film, with her previous credits including: Love & Basketball and The old guard. During an interview with Variety, costar Thuso Mbedu claims the director has let everyone know that she doesn’t “believe” in sequels. However, an idea from John Boyega made Prince-Bythewood reconsider her position. She says, “I texted Gina about it recently. Gina said she doesn’t believe in sequels, but John had a great idea for the sequel…I told Gina and she said, ‘Ah, actually that might work.'” After hearing the pitch, the director couldn’t stop thinking about it. “Then she started bouncing with ideas and I thought, ‘Gina, go to sleep!’ And she said, ‘No, my mind is ticking already.’ So we don’t know. Only Sony will tell us.”
Sony is probably already looking at ideas for a sequel to The woman king, as the film tops box office predictions for its debut week, along with mostly favorable audience reviews. Contacting Boyega would be the best option as he seems to understand what’s working on the new movie.
What is Boyega’s pitch?
Boyega plays a crucial role in The woman king, as he plays King Ghezo, a character not thoroughly dissected in the first film. According to Mbedu, Boyega wants to see King Ghezo from a more realistic perspective, focus on his ideas and be a supporter of the slave trade. “John’s idea is great… Basically, to go back to the history of the Dahomey – where in real history he isn’t exactly a favorable king.” But of course, The woman king is based only on actual events and does not fully portray each character as their real-life counterpart. “He would like us to discuss that in the second. What if we see him more as a bad guy? That kind of situation,” she explains. “And I thought, ‘That’s fun! It would be cool to see him in a different light.'”
Unfortunately, Davis may not be up to the idea, according to Mbedu. The actress had to train relentlessly for the role, and that may not be something she’s ready for, at least not yet. “Viola just keeps saying, ‘If there’s a sequel, I’m going to die in the first five minutes,'” Mbedu says. “She says, ‘So I’m going to be toothless and on my deathbed.'”
Of course Viola Davis is the backbone of The woman king, as she often is during every project she’s part of. It would be hard to see a sequel without her; However, John Boyega could no doubt direct the film if needed. Public can check out The woman king in theaters now, while fans hope for news of a possible sequel.