Since Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” premiered in February, the superhero blockbuster has smashed records, stereotypes, and the patriarchy.
Its female characters and all-women army, called the Dora Milaje, have been celebrated for their strength and defiance of traditional gender roles. What many audience members may not know is that, though the Dora Milaje are fictional, they were inspired by the Dahomey Amazons, a group of West African women warriors.
And now the Dahomey Amazons are getting their own show.
The show, whose name has yet to be announced, will not only break down barriers through its depiction of powerful women warriors, but will also break down barriers in the global entertainment industry.
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US-based Sony Pictures Television and the Nigerian network EbonyLife announced on Thursday that they would collaboratively produce the series — the first time Hollywood and Nollywood have worked together to create a tv show, CNN reported.
The Dahomey Amazons, originally drafted from among captured and imprisoned foreign women, have a complicated history that dates back to the 17th century. The women warriors were also known as the Ahosi, meaning the “king’s wives” because they were charged with guarding the king. But the majority of the women were not treated as wives, and instead were looked upon as soldiers, sisters, and daughters, according to Teen Vogue.
The fierce women are said to be the only all-female fighting force documented in modern history. It’s this legacy that the show hopes to bring to life on the small screen while pushing back against stereotypes about the African continent.
Read more: 'Black Panther' Just Shattered Another Record
"Our vision has always been to change the narrative about Africa and to tell our stories from our perspective,” Chief Executive Officer of Ebony Life Mo Abudu said in a statement.
Though no timeline for the show’s release has been announced, people are already looking forward to the series and its potential impact.
This is brilliant news of the collaboration between Ebonylife tv and Sony, to tell the story of one of the feared soldiers in the world... Dahomey Warriors, hope they capture the story well
— Bella Kush🔴⚪️ (@IamBellaKush) March 29, 2018
This is now the 3rd project on the Dahomey warriors that's in the works. Three answers to that question about what #BlackPanther's success might mean for black people in cinema... A good look for @EbonyLife_TV and Ms. Mo Abudu (aka "Nigeria's Oprah," as Slate Afrique dubbed her). https://t.co/AIyyGlKB7d
— Tambay Obenson (@TambayObenson) March 29, 2018
Black Panther rocked!!! I'm looking forward too seeing how this develops!https://t.co/T9zMLs9WxU
— timothy wick (@destroyerofgod1) March 29, 2018
This is huge for Nigeria! 👊👊👊 https://t.co/SSvfAxtOWS
— Victor Terhemba (@VictorTerhemba) March 29, 2018
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