Sony Pictures Television just announced that it will team up with Nigerian network EbonyLife to co-develop three TV projects, one of which is a series inspired by the story of the Dahomey Warriors.
The Dahomey Warriors, also known as the Dahomey Amazons, are a 19th-century all-female African army, whose real-life story went viral after the movie, Black Panther, helped to spotlight traces of its role in African history.
The TV series will be set in the Kingdom of Dahomey and tell the story of how the women protect their nation.
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This comes as Black Panther smashed box office records, grossing over $1 billion worldwide, cementing tales of a growing worldwide interest in African stories.
Mo Abudu, Chief Executive Office of EbonyLife, said of the deal, “Our vision has always been to change the narrative about Africa and to tell our stories from our perspective.”
Nigerian filmmaker Femi Odugbemi added in a comment to CNN, “It’s the first time I think a global company, or a company with a global footprint, is coming to the table, not just to give crumbs but to actually to try to collaborate in a way that expands opportunity for creating (stories) of African descent.”
Ebony TV is one of the biggest TV networks in Africa. Founded in 2013, the network produces television dramas, series, and films for an Anglo-African audience.
The story of the Dahomey Amazons is also set to come to life in the film, The Woman King, starring Lupita Nyong’o and Viola Davis.
