Tomi Adeyemi's debut novel spent years in development before finally heading to production. After rights initially sold to Fox 2000 Pictures in 2017 as part of a record-breaking deal, the project eventually found its home at Paramount Pictures — and as of 2025, principal photography wrapped in Lagos. The film now has a release date: January 15, 2027, with IMAX engagements planned globally.
This is one of the most anticipated African fantasy films in Hollywood history. Here is what we know.
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Gina Prince-Bythewood was brought on board in December 2023. It was a choice that immediately generated excitement.
Prince-Bythewood had already proved she could handle epic action with cultural weight — her 2022 film The Woman King, starring Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu, opened to critical acclaim and became a significant box-office success.
She directed The Old Guard before that, the Netflix action film that became one of the platform's most-watched originals.
Her attachment to Children of Blood and Bone signalled that Paramount was serious about making a film that honoured the source material's Yoruba cultural roots.
Whether the result delivers on that promise remains to be seen — the film has not yet been released. But Prince-Bythewood's body of work suggests the visual and emotional ambition to attempt it.
The Cast
The ensemble is one of the most formidable assembled for any African fantasy production:
● Thuso Mbedu as Zélie Adebola — The South African actress, best known for her acclaimed performance in The Woman King and The Underground Railroad, plays the novel's protagonist. Her casting reunites her with Prince-Bythewood.
● Amandla Stenberg as Princess Amari — The American actress (The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give) plays the king's daughter and Zélie's unlikely ally. Her casting was met with controversy online due to colorism concerns, as Amari is described with dark skin in the novel.
● Damson Idris as Prince Inan — The British actor of Nigerian Yoruba descent, best known for FX's Snowfall, plays the king's conflicted son. His casting was widely praised.
● Tosin Cole as Tzain — The British actor, known from Doctor Who and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, plays Zélie's protective older brother.
● Idris Elba as Lekan — The Sierra Leone-born British actor brings his considerable screen presence to the role of Lekan.
● Viola Davis as Mama Agba — The Academy Award-winning actress plays Zélie's mentor figure. Her reunion with Prince-Bythewood after The Woman King strengthens the film's pedigree considerably.
● Cynthia Erivo as Admiral Kaea — The EGOT-contending British-Nigerian actress takes on the role of the king's most powerful military commander.
● Chiwetel Ejiofor as King Saran — The Igbo-British actor (12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange) plays the primary antagonist, the king who erased magic from Orïsha.
● Lashana Lynch as Jumoke — The British actress known from Captain Marvel and No Time to Die joins the cast in this supporting role.
Production Details
Principal photography began in Lagos, Nigeria in February 2025. Filming wrapped on June 2, 2025. The score is composed by Terence Blanchard, a five-time Grammy-winning jazz musician who has scored several Spike Lee films. Production was handled by Temple Hill Entertainment and Sunswept Entertainment.
Shooting in Lagos rather than constructing African-style sets elsewhere was a deliberate choice that reflects the kind of authentic visual language Prince-Bythewood is known for.
The Controversy
The adaptation has not been without turbulence. Casting of Amandla Stenberg as Amari generated significant online backlash from fans who felt lighter-skinned actors should not play characters explicitly described as dark-skinned in the novel. The debate extended to Thuso Mbedu's casting as Zélie.
More significantly, author Tomi Adeyemi herself publicly distanced herself from the production in July 2026. She had originally been attached to write the screenplay and serve as executive producer.
In a TikTok post, she stated she was separating her name from the film due to behind-the-scenes conflicts. She did not detail the specifics. As of publication, Paramount Pictures had not publicly responded.
Release and What to Expect
Children of Blood and Bone opens in theatres and IMAX on January 15, 2027. Whether it matches the cultural impact of the novel — or whether the rift between Adeyemi and the production complicates its reception — remains one of the more interesting questions in the film industry entering 2027.
What is not in question is the ambition of the project. A Black female director, an all-star Black and African cast, an African filming location, a Yoruba mythology-rooted story — this is not a film made by people who aren't paying attention to what this story means.
— FAQ —
When does Children of Blood and Bone come out in cinemas?
January 15, 2027. The release includes IMAX engagements.
Who plays Zélie in the Children of Blood and Bone movie?
Thuso Mbedu, the South African actress known for The Woman King and The Underground Railroad.
Is Tomi Adeyemi involved in the movie?
Adeyemi was originally set to write the screenplay and serve as executive producer, but publicly distanced herself from the production in July 2026 due to behind-the-scenes conflicts.
Where was Children of Blood and Bone filmed?
Principal photography took place in Lagos, Nigeria, from February to June 2025.