A TV series adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s literary classic Things Fall Apart is underway, with Idris Elba set to star as the lead character, Okonkwo. Elba will also serve as an executive producer with his production company, 22Summers, with A24 as the studio. Variety exclusively reports.
In addition to Elba, David Oyelowo and Amanda N’Duka will executive produce through Yoruba Saxon, with Ben Forkner, Dayo Ogunyemi, and Achebe Masterworks also onboard as executive producers.
Based on Achebe’s 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart tells the story of Okonkwo, a proud Igbo warrior whose efforts to preserve his community’s traditions clash with the arrival of British colonisers. His uncompromising stance leads to devastating consequences as his world changes irreversibly. It is the first book of Achebe’s African Trilogy, followed by “No Longer at Ease” and “Arrow of God.” Achebe’s novel is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written, one of the “Best Novels of the Century” by Time Magazine, and one of the “100 Novels That Shaped the World” by the BBC.
Elba’s casting comes amid growing anticipation for a faithful adaptation, with fans hoping for an authentic portrayal of Nigerian culture – not an adaptation that instils a Wakandan accent on the cast. This follows the previous adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun in 2013 and the incoming adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s book “Children of Blood and Bone” to be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.
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