Thuso Mbedu manifested her dream role in Children of Blood and Bone

Mbedu will star alongside Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Thuso Mbedu will reunite with her The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood for her next big Hollywood project to be filmed in SA.

According to American entertainment news magazine Variety, which first broke the news, the 33-year-old Pietermaritzburg-born superstar will lead the cast of Prince-Bythewood’s film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone – the best-selling 2018 fantasy novel by Nigerian-American writer Tomi Adeyemi.

Mbedu will be joined in the lead by Amandla Stenberg (The Acolyte, The Hunger Games), Damson Idris (Snowfall, F1) and Tosin Cole (Supacell, Bob Marley: One Love) in the film scheduled for release on January 15 2027.

“Children of Blood and Bone was gifted to me in 2019 and, truly, it’s one of the best gifts I’ve received. Upon reading it I fell in love with it Z – to the point that I made it a prayer point,” wrote Mbedu on Instagram after news of her casting broke.

“Before heading to Philly earlier last year, I felt the most random need to go through old journals and there it was: a prayer point, a bold ask to God to be the lead of this amazing story to sit here and draft this announcement is mind-boggling. 

“To know that I have the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people as we tell this great story is truly humbling. I’m so excited. I’m so grateful.”

The film will also reunite Mbedu with her The Woman King co-stars Viola Davis and Lashana Lynch. Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor are confirmed to star in the film while Oscar-winner Regina King is negotiating to join.

Mbedu made her Hollywood breakout in 2021 playing the lead in Barry Jenkins’s historical TV miniseries The Underground Railroad, adapted from the book of the same name. In 2022, she was then cast as Nawi in The Woman King opposite Davis, Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. Local stars Masali Baduza, Chioma Umeala, Siv Ngesi, Makgotso M and Zozibini Tunzi also appeared.

Mbedu in December formed part of the star-studded cast (Beyoncé, John Kani, Aaron Pierre, Donald Glover, Kagiso Lediga) of Mufasa: The Lion King voicing Junia. She will next star in the American TV miniseries Task alongside Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey.