Danai Gurira joins Michael B. Jordan's 'Thomas Crown Affair' remake for Amazon MGM
Danai Gurira is stepping back into action alongside her Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan for the latest cinematic iteration of The Thomas Crown Affair. The romantic heist thriller marks Jordan’s directorial debut and is being developed under his Outlier Society banner, with producing partners including the company’s Elizabeth Raposo and Charles Roven of Atlas Entertainment.
Michael B Jordan and Danai Gurira.
Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images; Ricky Middlesworth
Filming is scheduled to commence Monday in London, and casting momentum continues with the recent addition of Academy Award winner Kenneth Branagh and Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone. Taylor Russell has also joined the ensemble.
Originally released by United Artists in 1968, the classic Thomas Crown Affair starred Steve McQueen as a thrill-seeking millionaire orchestrating elaborate bank robberies and Faye Dunaway as the sharp insurance investigator in pursuit. The story was previously reimagined in 1999 with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo assuming the lead roles.
This reimagined version shifts the narrative to Europe but retains the signature focus on high-stakes art theft. Jordan is set to portray the wealthy, art-obsessed protagonist with a criminal edge, while Russell takes on the role of the refined and determined private investigator. Character information for Gladstone and Branagh remains undisclosed.
Gurira, sources reveal, will take on the role of Jordan’s trusted confidante, a character closely tied to the lead’s intricate world.
Amazon MGM has slated the film for a wide theatrical debut on March 5, 2027. The screenplay, penned by Drew Pearce, evolved from an earlier version by Wes Tooke and Justin Britt-Gibson, rooted in the framework of the 1968 classic.
Additional production credits include Patrick McCormick and Marc Toberoff of Toberoff Productions. Alan Trustman, the screenwriter behind the original film, is returning in the capacity of executive producer.
Widely recognized for her fierce portrayal of Okoye, Wakanda’s formidable general, Gurira’s performance across Black Panther and Avengers titles has earned her a People’s Choice Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a shared Screen Actors Guild Award. Her previous on-screen chemistry with Jordan stems from their adversarial dynamic in Black Panther, where she confronted his character’s bid for the throne.
Beyond her Marvel acclaim, Gurira became a television mainstay with her role as Michonne, the sword-wielding survivor in AMC’s The Walking Dead. She later expanded her influence on the franchise as co-creator, executive producer, and lead actor in the spinoff The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
Her upcoming appearance will be in Apple TV+’s Matchbox, a feature film based on Mattel’s toy vehicle line, starring opposite John Cena.
