Danai Gurira on 'Black Panther' Okoye Spinoff Rumors and Honoring Chadwick Boseman at 2023 Oscars (Exclusive)

Danai Gurira isn't saying there will be a Black Panther spinoff series centered on her character, Okoye, but she's not saying there won't be either!

ET spoke with the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star on the red carpet of the 95th Academy Awards, where she responded to the long-standing rumors that her former Dora Milaje General will be getting her own show after her journey in the sequel.

"I've been told I can speak of it vaguely. So, I will vaguely respond," the star tells ET, laughing. "However, I guess the idea behind the story like that, if one were to exist, would be to explore the character in ways that we haven't done yet. But who knows?"

It's not the first time Gurira's had to answer for the rumors. During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in January, Gurira teased that the rumored spinoff might be close to fruition.

"I have been told that I can gently allude to this possibility," she told Colbert of the rumors. "So, I am gently alluding, just gently."

Colbert teasingly replied, "You gently alluding is the Marvel version of a full monty. I can’t believe I got anything out of you."

Okoye was introduced in the first Black Panther film as the head of the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces that protect Wakanda and its royal family. However, in Wakanda Forever, Okoye was dismissed from the Dora after failing to protect Shuri (Letitia Wright) from Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) and the Talokan warriors.

Devastated by the rejection, Okoye returned for the film's final battle in a new supersuit created by Shuri, officially bringing the Midnight Angels from the comic canon to the big screen -- leading many to speculate that the new series could focus on Okoye's new adventures with the elite group of warriors.

"She was just creating a new suit and figuring it out," Gurira told ET at the Wakanda Forever premiere events last November. "But Okoye, that's not her role anymore. So it was very interesting to take that arc."

As for what's next for the character, the actress said at the time that the "sky's the limit."

"So many amazing things could happen," she marveled. "I mean, we have more encounters with more communities to deal with, and more encounters with each other and with other characters from other universes to deal with, so, I mean, it's always a question of how that effect will change us and alter us as this one did."

Wakanda Forever scored five Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett and Best Original Song for "Lift Me Up" by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson. 

The song serves as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who played King T'Challa, aka Black Panther, and died at the age of 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Rihanna is set to perform the nominated single during Sunday's award show, which Guriria shares will be a "very special" moment for the entire cast. 

"We're just deeply thankful that the song exists, that [Rihanna] and Tems and, of course, Ryan and Ludwig came together and created this beautiful ballad that, you know, shows the beauty of our brother and pays tribute to it," she adds. "So, the fact that it's here tonight, and it's nominated -- I mean, it's everything, man. What else matters?"

RELATED CONTENT:

Rihanna to Perform 'Wakanda Forever' Original Song at 2023 Oscars

How to Watch ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Online — Now Streaming

Watch the 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Bloopers! (Exclusive)

Danai Gurira 'Gently' Teases 'Black Panther' Okoye Spinoff Series

'Black Panther': Danai Gurira on Okoye's MCU Future With Midnight Angels (Exclusive)

This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors.

If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page.

Up Next

Related Gallery

2023 Oscars: Biggest Fashion Moments