Actress Danai Gurira is cast as Michonne in AMC’s The Walking Dead!

After last night’s stunning season 2 finale of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD, the network announced the casting of Danai Gurira as Michonne, one of the most prominent characters in the series. Gurira is best known as Jill in HBO’s original series TREME, bringing a solid dramatic gravitas to the Walking Dead character, which will be sorely needed if the events of the comic are any indication.

Kirkman had this to say about how Michonne will be portrayed in the series:

She will be very similar to her comic-book counterpart. Most of the characters as they’ve been translated into TV are pretty much exactly the same character. Andrea is Andrea, Rick is Rick and Michonne is going to be Michonne. Now, the stories that we’re going to tell with her are going to be somewhat different at times. The show has always followed the comic book to a large extent, it just has different divergences from time-to-time and we’re definitely going to continue that in the third season. But the fans have expectations for Michonne, and I can say with full knowledge that their expectations are going to be met. They need not worry.

Many fans have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Michonne on the hit show and her final appearance was nothing less than a perfect tease for the next season. Michonne is as integral as Rick Grimes in the comic series and her involvement with the group is nothing less than game changing, especially with the amount of badassery she brings to the table. Along with the reveal of the prison that the group will occupy in season three of THE WALKING DEAD, the casting of the villain, The Governor, also leads into what is sure to be the best season of the show so far.

Most fans of the comic will attest that the Prison/Governor storyline and its conclusion are the biggest gut punch of the series. For me, series creator Robert Kirkman has yet to top that arc.

And worry I won’t. After two seasons, THE WALKING DEAD finally feels like it’s found its pace and is headed right into one hell of a sprint. THE WALKING DEAD returns this fall on AMC with a 16-episode order.

Check the video below from AMC to hear some revelations from the cast about what to expect from season 3: