Highlights
- Paramount Pictures announced the main cast of the upcoming Children of Blood and Bone adaptation.
- Gina Prince-Bythewood is directing the film.
- The film is slated for a January 2027 release.
We have our first look at the cast of Children of Blood and Bone, and every name is more exciting than the last. Read on to find out who’s playing your favorite character.
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The Story So Far
Tomi Adeyemi‘s Children of Blood and Bone debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller list in 2018. Since then, Children of Virtue and Vengeance and Children of Anguish and Anarchy completed the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. The series takes place in an African fantasy kingdom where a young woman, Zélie Adebola, sets out on a quest to reclaim the magic violently stolen from her people. She and her brother Tzain join forces with a rogue princess, Amari, to fight against her father’s brutal rule.
While the Children of Blood and Bone adaptation was announced in 2019, Paramount Pictures didn’t acquire the rights until 2022. Gina Prince-Bythewood signed on soon after to direct. Adeyemi will write the script and serve as an executive producer, but there hasn’t been much additional news until now.
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The Cast
Variety announced the lead actors, along with a few key players, in an exclusive look this week. Perhaps most important is the casting of Thuso Mbedu as Zélie and Amandla Stenberg as Amari. Mbedu starred in Prince-Bythewood’s film The Woman King in 2022 and had a role in 2024’s Mufasa. Stenberg is no stranger to YA book adaptations, with major roles in The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give, The Darkest Minds and more.
The film’s male leads include Tosin Cole as Zélie’s brother, Tzain, and Damson Idris as Amari’s brother, Prince Inan. Both characters play key roles throughout the book series.
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As for the rest of the cast, it’s basically a who’s who of award-winning Black actors. This includes Academy Award winner Viola Davis, SAG Award winner Idris Elba, Academy Award winner Regina King, BAFTA winner Lashana Lynch, Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor and Cynthia Erivo, who is one Oscar away from an EGOT.
Production is set to begin in South Africa in a few weeks, with an open casting call forthcoming for actors living in Nigeria. After that, Children of Blood and Bone is scheduled for a January 15, 2027 release date.
What do you think of this exciting casting news? Let us know below, and keep an eye out for more information on this exciting project.
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