The film adaptation of the novel Children of Blood and Bone by Nigerian American author Tomi Adeyemi is set to begin production in July 2024. The film will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, known for her work on The Woman King.
Paramount Pictures will co-produce the film alongside Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen of Temple Hill Entertainment, Karen Rosenfelt of Sunswept Entertainment, and Matt Jackson of Jackson Pictures. Adeyemi and Reggie Rock Bythewood will serve as executive producers.
Daria Cercek, co-president of Paramount Pictures Motion Group, expressed pride in bringing Adeyemi’s novel to the big screen, highlighting its significant impact on the young adult world and its groundbreaking world-building.
Cercek emphasized that the film’s themes are both thought-provoking and timely, expecting it to resonate with a global audience.
She said:
“Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone has not only become a phenomenon in the YA world, it has transformed every expectation of what world-building fantasy can be,
“It’s with enormous pride that our studio — along with Tomi and our partners Wyck, Marty and Karen — set out to bring this franchise to life on the big screen. With its thought-provoking and timely themes, we know that this story will resonate with a global audience.”
Prince-Bythewood, acclaimed for her emotionally rich and visually stunning narratives, is seen as an ideal director for the project.
Her notable works include The Secret Life of Bees, Beyond the Lights, Before I Fall, The Old Guard, and the television series Cloak and Dagger.
Adeyemi’s novel, released in March 2018, debuted at number one on The New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Bestseller List. The story follows protagonist Zélie Adebola, who battles a monarchy to restore magic to her people.
