
Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole have been cast in lead roles for the eagerly awaited film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the action-packed fantasy film is based on Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel and will be released by Paramount Pictures.
The film is set to hit theaters on January 15, 2027, and will be available in IMAX format.
Mbedu, known for her role in Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, will portray Zelie, a young woman from a fantastical African kingdom. Zelie embarks on a quest to reclaim the magic that was brutally taken from her people by the tyrannical King Saran. The story follows Zelie and her older brother Tzain (played by Cole) as they form an alliance with the king’s daughter, Princess Amari (Stenberg), and his son, Prince Inan (Idris), to fight back against the king’s oppressive rule. Prince-Bythewood expressed her excitement about bringing the vibrant world of Orisha to life, noting, “Our incredible ensemble reflects the whole of the diaspora. This is where our magic lies.”
Published in 2018, Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone quickly became a global phenomenon. The book, along with its sequels Children of Virtue and Vengeance and Children of Anguish and Anarchy (part of the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy), spent a combined 175 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The series has sold nearly three million copies worldwide and has received widespread acclaim. Children of Blood and Bone was included in lists such as Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time, was a New York Times Notable Children’s Book, and was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, among other honors.
Amandla Stenberg’s casting brings the story full circle for Adeyemi, who cited the backlash surrounding Stenberg’s portrayal of Rue in The Hunger Games as a key inspiration for writing about the Black experience. Adeyemi explained her motivation, saying, “I’m the kind of person who gets motivated by anger, so I was like, ‘Oh man, I’m going to write a story that’s so good and so Black that everyone’s going to have to read it even if you’re racist.’”
In 2022, Paramount Pictures President Brian Robbins and Motion Picture Group co-presidents Daria Cercek and Mike Ireland acquired the rights to the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy after a competitive bidding war. Since then, the project has been a top priority for the studio. In December 2023, it was announced that Prince-Bythewood would direct Children of Blood and Bone, with Adeyemi co-writing the screenplay. Casting quickly followed as the next crucial step.
Joining Mbedu, Stenberg, Idris, and Cole are a star-studded ensemble cast. Viola Davis, an Academy Award winner known for
The Woman King, will portray Mama Agba. Grammy and Emmy winner Cynthia Erivo, also an Academy Award nominee, will play Admiral Kaea. Idris Elba, an Academy Award nominee, will take on the role of Lekan. Lashana Lynch, a BAFTA winner, will play Jumoke, and Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor will star as King Saran. Additional cast members in negotiations include Regina King (Academy Award winner, Shirley) as Queen Nehanda, Diaana Babnicova as Folake, and Bukky Bakray as Binta. The film will also cast Nigerian actors via an open call.
With the majority of the ensemble now confirmed, production on Children of Blood and Bone is set to begin in South Africa in the coming weeks.
The film will be produced by Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill Entertainment, alongside Karen Rosenfelt of Sunswept Entertainment, the team behind the Twilight saga. Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures will also produce. Tomi Adeyemi and Reggie Rock Bythewood will executive produce.
Komentáře