I haven't watched it yet (it aired this evening) – the season finale of AMC's hit zombie drama series The Walking Dead, one of the few shows on TV that I actually watch religiously; after the show, on AMC's Walking Dead talk show, Talking Dead, the series' executive producer, Robert Kirkman, revealed some casting news that I know a lot of you folks have been anxious for, if past posts on the series are any indication.

Specifically, Kirkman announced the that the character named Michonne, one of the most popular characters from the Walking Dead comics, and described succinctly as "a sword-swinging badass" – and, oh, by the way, she's a black woman – will be coming in season 3; in fact, she actually made a brief appearance in tonight's season 2 finale, dressed in a hood and wielding a sword from what I hear (again, I haven't watched it yet).

And guess who's been officially cast to play Michonne?

Danai Gurira; some will recognize her from HBO's Treme; but I actually remembered her name from a previous posting on this site on director Andrew Dosunmu's latest feature project, Ma'George, which is currently in post-production.

So, of course I immediately searched the site to verify, and, yes, it is her. In Andrew's film, she's the starring character – a woman torn between her African culture and new life in America, as she struggles to please her husband and give him the son that will carry on his family’s legacy. 

Co-starring alongside Danai are Issach De Bankole (a man we've written about several times on this site), Yaya Dacosta (I doubt she needs an intro), Grammy Award-winning Angelique Kidjo (she likely doesn't need an intro either), veteran Nigerian actress Bukky Ajayi, and British/Nigerian actor Tony Okungbowa who also starred in Dosunmu's first feature Restless City. Although, some may recognize him as resident DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Apparently there were lots of surprises in tonight's finale of The Walking Dead (including Michonne's intro), and I'm looking forward to watchng it tomorrow.

As EW reports, producer Kirkman's announcement comes on the heels of news that Michonne's full history will be revealed in a new upcoming Walking Dead comic.

So, all you Walking Dead fans of the comic and TV series who've been hoping for this character's intro, your reactions?