'Americanah' TV Series Reunites Lupita Nyong'o And Danai Gurira At HBO Max

Last year, Lupita Nyong'o (right) and Danai Gurira starred in the massive blockbuster hit Black Panther at Marvel Studios. But soon they'll team up for something much different on the small screen.

HBO Max, the upcoming streaming service from WarnerMedia, has announced a straight-to-series order for an adaptation of Americanah, the best-selling novel written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Not unlike Black Panther, the story has roots in Africa as it follows a woman born in Nigeria who leaves for America and her extraordinary experiences with love, heartache, adversity and self-discovery. Find out more about the Americanah TV series below.

HBO Max sent out a press release announcing the 10-episode order of Americanah, which Lupita Nyong'o will star in and executive produce. As for Danai Gurira, she's talking a role behind the camera this time as the writer of the pilot and showrunner for the series overall. This isn't the first time Gurira has written for a major project since she already won a Tony Award for the Broadway production of Eclipsed. Here's what she had to say about working on the project:

"Through Americanah, Chimamanda brought the African female voice into mainstream consciousness in an unprecedented way. It is intellectually incisive, indicting, yet full of humor, and riddled with humanity. She makes unheard voices familiar, universal and yet palpably specific. I am honored to bring her incredible novel to life on the screen. I'm thrilled to collaborate once again with Lupita who brings her astounding ability as a performer and producer shepherding this project, along with HBO MAX's unbridled enthusiasm to bring this groundbreaking narrative to the TV audience."

If you're looking for a more detailed description of the story of Americanah, here's synopsis from Amazon:

Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—for each other and for their homeland.

That sounds like quite a powerful romance, one with a cultural influence and perspective that can only be captured by talents like Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira, both being actresses with African backgrounds. Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, agrees wholeheartedly:

"Americanah has sparked a cultural phenomenon and is revered by fans around the world. It has affected me deeply as one of the most moving, socially relevant and romantic stories of our time. With exceptional talent like Lupita and Danai in front of and behind the camera, this series will give viewers a uniquely heartfelt and unforgettable experience."

HBO Max doesn't yet have a launch date, and we're not sure when Americanah will get off the ground, but we're anxious to hear more about it very soon.