Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole are set to lead the cast of the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s book Children of Blood and Bone. The movie will be produced and directed by Paramount Pictures and Gina Prince-Bythewood and is set for release on January 15, 2027, in Imax.
The story follows Zélie Adebola (played by Mbedu), a young woman determined to restore magic to her oppressed people in a mythical African kingdom. She teams up with her brother Tzain (Cole) and Princess Amari (Stenberg) to overthrow the brutal rule of King Saran, portrayed by Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor. Damson Idris will play Prince Inan, a key figure in the battle for justice.
The book, released in March 2018, debuted at number one on The New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Bestseller List. It has since been followed by two sequels, Children of Virtue and Vengeance and Children of Anguish and Anarchy, the latter of which was published in June 2024.
The film boasts a star-studded ensemble, including Academy Award winner Viola Davis as Mama Agba, Cynthia Erivo (from “Wicked” the movie) as Admiral Kaea, Idris Elba as Lekan, and Lashana Lynch as Jumoke. Production is set to begin soon in South Africa. This project also reunites The Woman King director Prince-Bythewood with characters from The Woman King – Davis, Mbedu, and Lynch.
Meanwhile, Idris Elba is set to take on another prominent role as Okonkwo in a television adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s classic novel Things Fall Apart. The series aims to bring Achebe’s literary masterpiece to a global audience.
Children of Blood and Bone is the first instalment of Adeyemi’s trilogy, which has captivated readers with its themes of resistance, resilience, and the fight to reclaim lost heritage.
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