First Look at V in her self-described "magnum opus", THE WOMAN KING

Looking as butch as ever.

The title itself is sexist, a woman king is a queen, resorting to call her a woman king implies that a queen is not as powerful as a king.

She looks FIERCE

She is wearing out her welcome. Has worn out her welcome.

V -- is that what's she's going by now?

No. She has not earned it.

Will she puckering her V for vagina lips in this movie as she did her upstairs lips as Michelle?

She definitely looks hot! And FIERCE!

“Hot”? Ummm…no.

I find her a very attractive woman. And the photo of V is definitely hot.

This could be a glorious camp classic or...just bad.

r6 V is the Black M. She said so herself!

Queen Viola is back! Oscar #2?

America's teenagers will swarm to see this!

What’s wrong with being a queen?

V for Vag

Why does she walk like her knees don't work? She waddles from side to side like a penguin. I first noticed it in How To Get Away With Murder when they'd often film her from behind while she waddled.

r17 I thought that was because she couldn't walk in heels, but it must be something else since she obviously doesn't wear heels in this movie.

We love Vee-ola.

Her grievance journal is already full in anticipation of this flopping. Which it will. The blame game we'll get from her should be pretty epic.

"Woke" meets Camp. Unintended hilarity ensues.

I dig the leather basket-weave bustiers,, but I'm not understanding the batik-print bicycle shorts-cum-miniskirts.

Whay ah dey speakin dah language of dah evil conquerahs?

Oscar? For this?

LMAO

She’s playing the leader of the Dahomey people a violent, militaristic group who played a pivotal role in the European slave trade for 300 years.it doesn’t sound like typical Oscar bait.

Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away! Please go away!

Oh honey, this has bomb written all over it.

Who is the audience for this film?

[quote]Who is the audience for this film?

Anyone who is not a racist, Rose.

Love her

Honestly, who will pay to go see this film?

Nothing will top her unforgettable performance as Michelle Obama.

Eh, I'd see it

Glad to see Viola is finally playing a man.

Thank you, R24. Exactly.

So are they going to glorify this tribe? Like they did in the Black Panther? I get it - female warriors and all that.

Dahomey slaughtered their weaker neighbors, enslaved the survivors and sold slaves to outsiders. They were as gory and inhuman as many other peoples around the globe, but I wonder if they will sugar coat the evil and just glorify the "warriors".

Problematic, to say the least.

One of the survivor's was the little girl that Queen Victoria "adopted" as her goddaughter. In 1850, Queen Victoria gave birth to the seventh of her nine children and met a young 7 year old orphan girl who’d been born into royalty.

Sarah Forbes Bonetta had watched as invaders slaughtered her parents and siblings in West Africa. She’d been kidnapped and enslaved.

Fornes was born as a princess to the Yoruba people of West Africa in 1843. Born Omoba Aina, the child would lose her entire family by age 6. King Gezo, from Dahomey, slaughtered Aina’s family and took her captive, bringing her back to the Dahomey court. She was "saved" to be used in human sacrifice.

Two years later, a British captain, Frederick Forbes visited Dahomey, hoping to persuade King Gezo to outlaw slavery. Gezo resisted, but Forbes convinced the ruler to hand over the 7-year-old princess. Forbes promised Gezo, “She would be a present from the King of the Blacks to the Queen of the Whites.”

Forbes then baptized the girl as Sarah and gave her the names Forbes after himself and Bonetta, the name of his ship.

“She is a perfect genius,” Forbes wrote. “She now speaks English well, and [has] great talent for music … She is far in advance of any white child of her age in aptness of learning, and strength of mind and affection.” Forbes wrote to Queen Victoria about the orphan princess. He beseeched the queen to take Sarah Forbes Bonetta “under her protection,” concerned that returning the girl to Dahomey would be a death sentence.

In November 1850, Queen Victoria met Bonetta at Windsor Castle. Victoria found the girl “sharp and intelligent,” quickly agreeing to support the orphan. She placed Bonetta with a nearby family who took charge of her education, while the queen paid the girl’s bills and officially named her a royal goddaughter. When Bonetta fell ill, Victoria arranged to send the child to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Then a few years later, when she complained of being unhappy, the Queen brought her back to England. Sarah Forbes Bonetta impressed her tutors with her intellect and musical abilities. As she grew older, she regularly visited the queen at Windsor Castle.

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Forbes Bonetta had earned a reputation as an accomplished woman. Living in Brighton, Bonetta received her first marriage proposal. James Pinson Labulo Davies was a wealthy businessman, and like Bonetta, he came from the Yoruba people. On her wedding day, Bonetta arrived in a line of 10 carriages which included “White ladies with African gentlemen, and African ladies with White gentlemen.” Sixteen bridesmaids attended her.

After their wedding, Bonetta and James moved to Lagos, now Nigeria. She gave birth to a daughter and was granted permission by the Queen to name the child Victoria — the Queen also became her godmother. Bonetta taught school and had two more children. She visited England one last time in 1867, when she met with Queen Victoria and introduced her daughter to her namesake.

In 1880, Sarah Forbes Bonetta fell ill and died at only 37 years old, likely of tuberculosis. Queen Victoria mourned her goddaughter’s death and officially made Bonetta’s daughter Victoria another goddaughter. “Saw poor Victoria Davies, my black godchild, who learnt this morning of the death of her dear mother,” Queen Victoria wrote. The queen supported young Victoria with an annuity and educational expenses, while also encouraging visits to the royal household. When the child passed a music exam, the queen declared a holiday for everyone at her school.

I'd rather see a film about Sarah Forbes Bonnetta, Princess Omoba Aina.

The trailer for this movie is insane. Black people good, white people bad. Women better at being men than the men. This is the upside-down world they so desperately try to make us believe is reality.

The annoying part is that this isn’t woke - it’s history. We’ll see how accurate it is but the more actual history you read, esp. firsthand accounts, the more you see humans behaving in unique ways. The reason the title is the “The Woman King” is likely because most queens in many cultures did not traditionally rule on their own or inherit the throne. So women rulers who reigned in those days (the few we have records of) identified more with the king role than the Queen role.

Does anyone who knows and likes Viola Davis want to see her in a role or movie like this?

She looks like Florida Evans as a superhero.

"In Her Mind's Prime Time: The Joy Ann Reid Story," will be the source of Viola's next lead actress nominations.

Yikes.

No, I don’t know anyone who will see this film.

Why didn't they cast actual African actress?

This will rank with Valley of the Dolls and Mommy Dearest as one of the greatest camp films.

I think it will be earnest and boring. Viola is spending her own money in it and insisted it be a movie only release, with only her name above the title. When it underperforms, she will say it was racism. And if it gets bad reviews, that the critics were wrong.

The last time Viola had a leading role in a mainstream theatrical release, it was Widows. That was a straightforward heist movie stacked with stars like Liam Neeson and Colin Farrell, it got great reviews (deservedly so; it’s really fun, unlike most of her movies), and it still flopped.

The studio should expect to take a huge loss on this one.

Widows was dull.

Will Queen Viola get an Emmy nomination next week for The First Lady? It was the most talked about performace of the year!

Do you mean trash talked?

[quote] Widows was dull.

It was painfully dull. The only bright spot was Elizabeth Debicki, using a perfect Polish accent to deliver her wry dialogue.

I smell a flop

R45 Agreed. I went into Widows expecting to enjoy it because I love a good heist movie and it had a number of stars I really like but fuck was it bad. Viola simply doesn't have what it takes to be the lead. No charisma. And ugly as fuck. Her love scene with Liam was revolting. I hope he was well paid to stick his tongue in that cunt's mouth.

Veeola sho makes the white folks hoppin’ mad.

She's not sexy. She's not fuckable. She's not funny. She's not charismatic.

She's not a star.

But I’ve got the Emmy! I’ve got the Oscar! The people need to understand me by reading my book. I am the biggest star and the best actress because I am a leader.

[quote] She looks like Florida Evans as a superhero.

Now there's a concept for a movie I would pay to see!

Viola is a box we checked off in hopes of moving on and keep people quiet by giving them this to point to.

I think she should highlight her costars, if she even knows their names. It’s the trick to a long career (being generous with your other actors, not just love it or leave it).

Years from now this genre will be referred to as 'Unga-Bunga'.

I spit out my coffee r57

Black Panther benefited from a simpler time. When whites hadn’t been made to feel like shit by the black populace. The current racism toward white people will be a key reason why this shit flops hard. Good luck, Viola, you boogery perpetual victim.

I doubt some red states would even show this.

I mean this could be a fun female empowerment flick if they aren't heavy handed and twist history to once again paint only certain people as villains.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin!

Say his name, it's almost like praying.

Viola has the charisma of a centipede.

ANTIFA Training Film!

I hope V didn't hurt her back making this film. She's getting up there in years.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

See, I would watch this streaming. It looks like it would be a good popcorn and wine weekend viewing material, an historical epic of a time and place I’m not overly familiar with.

Dragging my ass to the cinema? Nah.

This looks, literally, hysterical.

How are they going to make this tribe sympathetic if they actually participated in selling slaves? I am sure Violin thought it would be great to play a female general, but a slave trader? Nope

Will this become the new Showgirls?

I read they were hoping for a $20-30 million opening.

Dream on

Presenting this story of Black women warriors is not only offering cinemagoers a slice of untold history, but is a statement of intent to tell celebrate a group in society who are far too often marginalised or rendered invisible. “This movie is my response to that,” Davis tells Empire in the new House Of The Dragon issue. “This movie is not even my respectful response to that. It is an illustration of the insurmountable beauty, strength, vulnerability, femininity, and absolute power of the dark-skinned Black woman. It’s our way of redefining who we are. And I believe from the first moment you enter this movie, you will see that in a very beautiful way.”

She sho is ugly.

V is back and we're sleeping real good at night!

It’s another generation now, and you wouldn’t catch me dead near a theater playing this movie. Imagine how worked up the audience is going to be, when it lets out into the street.

The sexuality. The beauty. The- oh, I give up.

There’s already backlash from ADOS groups with this movie over the glorification of slave traders. Viola’s slick with framing it as a celebration of dark skinned women. Buffers the criticism.

She could have done a fantastic dark skinned women action movie with a different story. I thought she would have been a great Martha Washington. The comic book that is.

I like how her warrior has her makeup done

Julia Roberts would be more convincing as a dark skinned African American woman who is a military leader than Viola Davis and her “acting”

Cate Blanchett is already the front runner this year for Best Actress so Viola is already behind. Plus her horrible performance as Michelle Obama is still fresh in people's minds.

I think this screens September 9 at some festival. If it was any good they would have screened it earlier.

Viola and Oprah have a show together on Netflix.

Let me guess what they talk about…

Getting rave reviews from Toronto.

I read two reviews saying it was average. Has a sappy romance and is PG-13 so the battle scenes are tame. Pass.

[QUOTE] Getting rave reviews from Toronto.

Link?

r86 Bunch of reactions on Twitter. Toronto is on their feet for Viola!

There’s a “bunch” yet you can’t provide a single link?

How To Get Avay Vith Vurder

[quote] Getting rave reviews from Toronto.

Oh those Canadians. They're so nice. They would never be mean.

r88 Is this good enough?

r88 Or this?

r88

Full review

Any chance of her snot getting a Best Supporting Actress nomination?

Is Hero Fiennes Tiffin naked in this?

Poor Viola.

I didn't see it but the crowd in front of the TIFF Lightbox waiting for her to arrive was insane tonight. Insane.

It's racist if the movie fails the box office

It's racist if the movie is not nominated for every major award, # Oscarsowhite

It's racist if V doesn't win Oscar, SAG and Golden Globe

Flop

I don't like hand to hand combat.

These are raves from VD fans not critics.

they were waiting for Taylor Swift, r98.

The Woman King 2?

r102 "One of the year's best films."

It’s a MEH

The movie drags

She looks like a fool in the clips I have seen.

"Rousing Action Epic"

Two hours of shiny looking women

Let's rewrite all history to conform to the standards of a black Women's Studies major.

Where's Angela Bassett when you need her?

A movie celebrating that raping, murdering, human sacrificing, pillaging, enslaving tribe - she must be so proud.

I can't wait for THE MAN QUEEN, the fabulous sequel starring Billy Porter.

Who is the audience for this?

My goodness, she's not a beauty, is she?

r116 She's hot as shit!

r112 I agree. Angela Basset could get away with this type of role, V looks foolish.

R111 Womens Studies have not existed for 15 years, it’s Gender Studies now.

Anyone here plan to see it in a theater?

Nope

r121 is seeing Nope first then The Woman King. A real champion of Black cinema!

I would be surprised if even a 100 people see it, nationally.

if this is a nuanced take on a complicated historical time period, I very much look forward to it. If it's a heavy handed whitewashing (not the best phrase, stipulated) that glorifies unnecessarily I will be disappointed. I think if it were an honest account it would be a really interesting movie.

Maria Bello of all people has a story credit

[quote] They'll love it in Pomona.

They'll love it everywhere!

Two stupid twinks forecast The Woman King’s chances at the Oscar’s

r116 Kiss Ma Rainey's Black Ass!

R128 those photos actually look great.

She's coming off more and more as being phony and disingenuous. She sent out a gushing tribute to Queen Elizabeth last week that baffled many people. Then she pissed people off the other day for saying to see this movie so other movies like Black Panther will put black women in them. Well who the fuck were Angela, Lupita, Letitia and Danai?

And I'm still baffled by her off the wall interpretation of Michelle Obama.

The media is hyping this movie up, but the reaction on social media is mixed at best (for the movie AND Viola).

It's ghastly, hilarious camp, but people will be afraid to admit they rolled in the aisles crying with laughter.

A+ Cinemascore, same as Top Gun: Maverick.

Poor Viola

It looks like it's a hit! Move over Blandshit, I'm in the race baby!

Where are all the people in this thread that said this was going to flop? You've all gone quiet.

I AM The Woman King!

oh brother, she is ridic.....she is the woman THING.

It wont be #one for long dearies, trust me, if it ever REALLY was. who wants to look at old lady duck lips for 2 hrs?????

It'll probably only take another week to outgross The River Wild...

This is the weakest week for movies the whole year, grosses are not good even for the top flix.

After the critics served no purpose while The First Lady aired, they matter now! Thank you Rotten Tomatoes!

Didn't this smug bitch NOT care what critics think? Now she is referencing their glowing reviews.

Hypocritical cunt.

[quote]A movie celebrating that raping, murdering, human sacrificing, pillaging, enslaving tribe - she must be so proud.

If anyone complaining bothered to stave their hot takes until they saw the film they would quickly realize that the film does not celebrate or glorify it. One of the plots is Viola's character trying to urge the King to stop trading their slaves to their enemies.

[quote] One of the plots is Viola's character trying to urge the King to stop trading their slaves to their enemies.

As if that would have happened.

I’m sure Viola specifically had that written into the script, whether or not it actually happened.

Is Leslie Uggums in the film?

[quote] Who is the audience for this?

EVERYONE, dummy. Some Twitter people have confirmed it’s a “crowdpleaser”!

I don't see sweaty movies.

R141, this is what love-bomb reviewing looks like. No way those scores reflect honest opinion.

ole duck lips is selling l oreal on tv....GIMME A FUKIN BREAK

We're coming for all the Oscars. Yes, babies!!