Danai Gurira to Return as Okoye in Disney+ Series

Marvel fans assemble! Marvel Studios is reportedly developing a spin-off series focusing on Danai Gurira`s Okoye character. For those who don’t know about Okoye, made her first appearance in Marvel`s Black Panther in 2018, which Ryan Coogler directed. Okoye is a General for the Dora Milaje in the kingdom of Wakanda. News of the series was announced early this year, with Coogler set to develop and produce the show, which will mainly be set in Wakanda. 

The character Okoye first debuted in the Marvel comics Marvel Knights Black Panther series in 1998, where Okoye helped recruit Queen Divine Justice, queen of the Jabari tribe of Wakanda, into the Dora Milaje. This would be an exciting character to see appear in the Disney+ series! Also from the comics, Okoye had a short flirtation with the character Kasper Cole, also known as the White Tiger. There are so many interesting characters that would make for exciting storylines in this series!

Gurira is set to return as Okoye in the Black Panther sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is set to premiere in 2022. Co-stars returning alongside Gurira are Lupita Nyong`o, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Letitia Wright, and Martin Freeman.  Gurira was also in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame as well as Disney+`s animated series What If…? Other than her work with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Danai Gurira is best known as the popular character Michonne in the AMC series The Walking Dead. 

Gurira is also a playwright and has written multiple plays which have been out on Broadway for the past few years. Gurira`s plays include, In the Continuum (2008), The Convert (2012), Familiar (2015), and Eclipsed (2010). Gurira received awards for her work including, the Sam Norkin Award at the 2016 Drama Desk Awards, a Whiting Award, and a Hodder Fellow award. She has also been commissioned by Yale Rep, Center Theatre Group, Playwrights Horizons, and the Royal Court.