The Woman King

The Woman King follows General Nanisca, a fierce leader of the Agojie, an all-female military unit defending the Kingdom of Dahomey in the early 1800s. When a new generation of recruits arrives, Nanisca pushes them through brutal training to sharpen skills, discipline, and loyalty while preparing for looming conflicts that threaten their people and way of life. Among the recruits, a young warrior named Nawi struggles with personal loss and questions about honor, testing the bond between teacher and pupil. Political pressures, rivalries, and the encroaching slave trade force the women to make hard choices on and off the battlefield. The film balances intense combat scenes with quieter moments of strategy, camaraderie, and the ethics of leadership and familial ties.

Released in 2022, the film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and scripted by Dana Stevens with additional writing by Maria Bello, drawing on historical accounts of the Agojie to shape a character-driven retelling staged with large battle sequences and choreography.

The Woman King opened widely in theaters during 2022 and attracted considerable audience interest, translating critical attention into steady box office receipts worldwide, helping studios recoup investment while elevating the profile of its cast and creative team across markets globally.

Critics responded positively, reflected in a solid audience score and an average rating near 7.6 out of 10, praising performances, particularly Viola Davis's Nanisca. Reviews highlighted intense action, the film's focus on female leadership, moral ambiguity around resistance and complicity, and its wrestle with historical memory and communal bonds themes.

Upon release the movie sparked wide discussion about representation, prompting renewed interest in the real Agojie and Dahomey's history. It influenced fashion and media portrayals, stimulated academic and public debates over historical accuracy and storytelling choices, and helped foreground Black female agency in mainstream historical filmmaking conversations across cultures worldwide.