What We Know About the 'Children of Blood and Bone' Movie

A four-split image of Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Cynthia Erivo, and Viola Davis.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 23 January 2025

After years of speculation, Children of Blood and Bone is finally set to debut as Hollywood's next blockbuster fantasy franchise. In 2018, author Tomi Adeyemi released her bestselling YA novel of the same name, which takes place in a world of magic and royal intrigue heavily inspired by West African mythology. Adeyemi's full Legacy of Orïsha trilogy has sold three million copies worldwide and spent 175 weeks total on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Since the fantasy book first hit shelves, fans have been waiting for the kingdom of Orïsha to be brought to life in a book-to-screen adaptation, and for the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy to join Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games on the list of YA franchises turned pop-culture phenomenons. Now that the film's cast and crew are being announced, fantasy devotees can get excited that that's actually happening. Below, we're keeping track of everything we know about the Children of Blood and Bone movie.

When will 'Children of Blood and Bone' be released?

Children of Blood and Bone is set for a theatrical IMAX release on January 15, 2027, with filming expected to begin in South Africa in early 2025. The Paramount Pictures movie is helmed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously directed The Woman King, The Old Guard, Beyond the Lights, and Love & Basketball. Adeyemi also serves as a co-writer and executive producer.

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

Who has been cast in the 'Children of Blood and Bone' movie?

On January 22, 2025, Variety revealed the cast of Children of Blood and Bone. The film is led by Thuso Mbedu, who previously worked with Prince-Bythewood on The Woman King. She'll play the book's heroine Zélie Adebola, a young warrior determined to bring magic back to Orïsha after it was muted by the tyrannical King Saran. Amandla Stenberg will portray Saran's daughter Princess Amari, who teams up with Zéile and her protective older brother Tzain, to be played by Tosin Cole of Netflix's Supacell. Damson Idris rounds out the main quartet as Prince Inan, Amari's brother who pursues Amari and her new allies.

Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor is set to portray the cruel Saran, while Oscar nominee and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo will play his skilled naval commander Admiral Kaea. Rounding out the confirmed cast is Idris Elba as high priest Lekan, as well as The Woman King alums Lashana Lynch as Jumoke, Zéile and Tzain's mother; and Viola Davis as Mama Agba, the oldest living maji (a magician of Orïsha).

Variety also reports that three more actors are in negotiations to join the cast. Academy Award winner Regina King is in talks to play Queen Nehanda, Amari and Inan's mother, as well as Diaana Babnicova as Folake and Bukky Bakray as Binta.

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What is the plot of 'Children of Blood and Bone?'

Children of Blood and Bone takes place in the mythical African kingdom of Orïsha, inhabited by two groups: divîners, who are born with magical capabilities and white hair, and non-magical kosidán. Divîners cannot awaken their magic until they are 13, which is also when they decide if they want to decide whether to become a full maji. 10 different maji clans perform forms of magic, ranging from manipulating the elements and healing to having power over the mind or death.

11 years before the start of the Orïsha trilogy, King Saran executed The Raid, a brutal attack against the maji after Saran's father, the then-king, was killed by Burners (maji who control fire). All maji and divîners over the age of 13 were killed; the Yoruba language, which the maji use to perform spells, was outlawed; and all maji allowed to live were oppressed and forced into poverty. Zéile watched her mother Jumoke be brutally killed right in front of her during the Raid.

To keep spoilers at a minimum, Children of Blood and Bone follows Zéile as she embarks on a quest to restore magic and empower the maji against Saran's regime, with the help of her loyal and protective older brother Tzain and Princess Amari, who rebels after witnessing her father's cruelty firsthand.

'Children of Blood and Bone' by Tomi Adeyemi

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Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.