Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Thuso Mbedu to Lead 'Children of Blood and Bone' Adaptation at Paramount

Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole have been cast in the lead roles for the eagerly awaited film adaptation of "Children of Blood and Bone."

The action fantasy film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and based on Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, is being produced by Paramount Pictures. The studio has set a release date for the film on January 15, 2027.

The Imax film boasts a stacked cast including a couple of well known British industry veterans; Grammy and Emmy winner Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) as Admiral Kaea and SAG Award winner Idris Elba (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) as Lekan, according to Variety.

Mbedu, who previously worked with Prince-Bythewood on the historical epic The Woman King, will portray Zelie, a young woman from a fantasy African kingdom on a mission to restore the magic that was brutally taken from her people by the tyrannical King Saran. The narrative follows Zelie and her older brother Tzain (Cole) as they ally with the king’s children, Princess Amari (Stenberg) and Prince Inan (Idris), to oppose his oppressive regime.

Amandla Stenberg's casting in the adaptation brings Adeyemi's journey full-circle. The author has shared in interviews that the backlash to Stenberg's portrayal of Rue and Lenny Kravitz as Cinna in the 2012 film adaptation of "The Hunger Games" spurred her to write about the Black experience.

"I am so honoured and excited to bring Tomi’s ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ and the vibrant world of Orisha to life," said Prince-Bythewood. "Our incredible ensemble reflects the whole of the diaspora. This is where our magic lies."

In 2018, Tomi Adeyemi's "Children of Blood and Bone" took the literary world by storm, leading to its sequels "Children of Virtue and Vengeance" and "Children of Anguish and Anarchy" (together known as the "Legacy of Orïsha" trilogy) amassing a staggering 175 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The series has sold nearly three million copies globally and has received widespread critical acclaim, with "Children of Blood and Bone" earning spots on lists such as the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time and being named a New York Times Notable Children’s Book, as well as becoming a Kirkus Prize Finalist.

"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,’" Adeyemi recounted to EW, making this her writing mission.

Paramount Pictures, under President and co-CEO Brian Robbins and Motion Picture Group co-presidents Daria Cercek and Mike Ireland, secured the rights to the "Legacy of Orïsha" trilogy in 2022 after a fiercely contested bidding war. Since acquiring the rights, the studio has made the project a high priority.

Rick Famuyiwa has been confirmed as the director for "Children of Blood and Bone", co-writing the screenplay with author Tomi Adeyemi. The next step is casting, which is already shaping up to be a star-studded affair.

The impressive ensemble cast also includes Oscar winner Viola Davis (The Woman King, G20) as Mama Agba ;BAFTA winner Lashana Lynch (Bob Marley: One Love, Day of the Jackal) as Jumoke; and Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as King Saran.

In talks to join the cast are Oscar winner Regina King (Shirley) as Queen Nehanda; Diaana Babnicova (Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot) as Folake; and Bukky Bakray (Rocks) as Binta. Additionally, there will be more casting from an open call in Nigeria.

Production on "Children of Blood and Bone" is expected to kick off in South Africa shortly. Producers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill Entertainment, along with Karen Rosenfelt of Sunswept Entertainment – known for their work on the "Twilight" series – will produce the film. They'll be joined by Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures, with Tomi Adeyemi and Reggie Rock Bythewood serving as executive producers.