Reports: Danai Gurira leaving 'Walking Dead' next season

Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Black Panther actress Danai Gurira will leave The Walking Dead in the show's upcoming 10th season, media reports said.

Deadline said Gurira, who has played Michonne since Season 3, has signed on to appear in a handful of episodes in Season 10.

However, The Hollywood Reporter said Michonne might also turn up in the three planned Walking Dead TV movies starring Andrew Lincoln, who played Michonne's partner Rick Grimes on the zombie-apocalypse drama.

"I'll just say Michonne is obviously a huge part of the story of The Walking Dead," showrunner Angela Kang told Insider this week. "We absolutely love Danai. Anything that's contract-wise, that's for people to work out, but we have a lot of exciting stories to tell with her going forward. We're thrilled for what's in store for her. That's as much as I can say right now."

AMC has not publicly commented on the reports.

The second half of Season 9 is to begin Sunday.