Gurira to Reprise Role in Panther Sequel and Disney+ Spinoff
Sources are reporting that Danai Gurira is confirmed to reprise her role as Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A feature in The Hollywood Reporter documents several high profile Hollywood lawyers, including Gurira’s attorney, Jamie Mandelbaum. The report states that the representative
brokered a deal for actress Danai Gurira to not only reprise her role as Okoye in the upcoming Black Panther sequel but also in an origin spinoff series for Disney+,”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Disney has yet to make a statement on the claim, but it seems likely that the former The Walking Dead actress will return for both of these installments of MCU’s Phase Four slate of upcoming content. Gurira has already reprised the role in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Okoye is the right-hand woman of king T’Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman. After Boseman’s untimely death last summer, Disney has stated they will not recast Boseman’s role but will respectfully honor it. Gurira’s character, General of the Dora Milaje, is assumed to be a major player in that storyline.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is slated for release in July 2022.
Disney+ Spin-Off
Famed Marvel screenwriter-director Ryan Coogler’s production house, Proximity Media, inked a deal with Disney+ in February of this year that includes development of dramatic series for the television platform, based in the Kingdom of Wakanda.
We’ve already seen other Wakandan warriors like Ayo and Nomble appear in Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, paving the way for Okoye to make an appearance on the new Panther spin-off.
Danai Gurira
Prior to Black Panther, Gurira was best known for her role as Michonne in The Walking Dead. She received critical acclaim for her role in indy film Mother of George in 2013 and played rapper Tupac’s mother in 2017 biopic, All Eyez on Me.
Feature Image: Marvel Studios via NPR.com