Acclaimed author Tomi Adeyemi took to social media to reveal the talented cast of the upcoming film adaptation of her bestselling novel, Children of Blood and Bone. The movie, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is set to premiere in IMAX theaters in January 2027.
South African actress Thuso Mbedu, known for her role in Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic The Woman King, will play Zélie, a young woman on a quest to reclaim magic in a fantasy African kingdom. Zélie’s journey is intertwined with her older brother Tzain (Tosin Cole), Princess Amari (Amandla Stenberg), and Prince Inan (Damson Idris) as they form an unlikely alliance to overthrow the ruthless King Saran.
Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, published in 2018, has become a modern classic, spending 175 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list alongside its sequels, Children of Virtue and Vengeance and Children of Anguish and Anarchy. The Legacy of Orïsha trilogy has sold nearly three million copies worldwide, earning critical acclaim, including features on the New York Times Notable Children’s Books and Kirkus Prize Finalist lists.
Also forthcoming will be additional castings from an open casting call for actors living in Nigeria.
Children of Blood and Bone is set to premiere in IMAX theaters in January 2027.
Click here to read more on the upcoming film and meet the rest of the cast.
Bongiwe T. Maphosa
Bongiwe Maphosa is a budding author with a passion for storytelling. With her thought-provoking narratives, she takes her readers on a literary adventure. Bongiwe's works on the human condition from a fresh perspective have earned her recognition and publications in the Avbob Poetry Anthology of 2019, The Writer's Club of South Africa 2021, and JAY Lit in 2021. She hopes to cement her place in the literary community.
