Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King is having its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, set to happen this September. Inspired by true events, the film stars Viola Davis as the general of an all-female warrior squad that protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s.

The highly-anticipated epic film will explore the story of General Nanisca (Davis), the leader of the Agojie, an elite warrior squad formed only by women. Trained to be Dahomey’s most powerful weapon against invaders, the Agojie were fierce warriors who helped the African Kingdom to stand their ground against European invaders, particularly those from Great Britain and France. Although the Dahomey kingdom would cease to exist in the late 1800s, the brutality of the Agojie would be forever engraved in history. So, we are all very excited to see Academy Award-winner Davis leading a battalion of powerful and angry women.

As the official trailer revealed, The Woman King will follow Nanisca as she trains a new generation of women to join the Agojie and fight colonizers. The story will focus on Nanisca's relationship with Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a new military recruit that has the potential to become the best of the Agojie . The film will also star John Boyega as the King of Dahomey, a man who is unwilling to go to war, but who decides to trust Nanisca’s advice when new European ships approach the kingdom’s shores.

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Image via Sony

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Prince-Bythewood directs The Woman King from a script she wrote with Dana Stevens (City of Angels, What About Brian). The film also stars Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Adrienne Warren, Jayme Lawson, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

The 47th TIFF edition runs from September 8 to September 18. While the Toronto International Film Festival still hasn’t disclosed its full schedule, The Woman King is already the fifth movie to set its world premiere as part of the event. Also present at the 47th TIFF are Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Clement Virgo’s coming-of-age drama Brother, Nicholas Stoller’s romantic comedy Bros, and Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut On the Come Up.

After premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, The Woman King reaches the commercial circuit on September 16. Check out the film’s trailer and synopsis below:

‘The Woman King’ is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, ‘The Woman King’ follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for…