Everything we know About Children of Blood and Bone

A young woman from a brutalized clan, a king who took away the life force of her people, and a quest to restore what was snatched away. The Children of Blood and Bone is about the journey of a girl who stands up against a tyrannical king who almost ended her tribe. 

Set in a fantasy African land, the long-awaited film adaptation of the YA novel Children of Blood and Bone by author Tomi Adeyemi has finally confirmed its cast. That’s not all. A release date has been set as well. The film is all ready to be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and will soon be on the big screens. 

Want to know what this film is about? Don’t worry, in this article, we will discuss everything we know about the upcoming fantasy film. Since the movie is in the early stages of production, we will keep updating this space with more details when they emerge. So, stay tuned!

Release date and Where to Watch 

The film will be exclusively released in theaters on Friday, Jan. 15, 2027. 

What is Children of Blood and Bone About?

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi was published in 2018 and became an instant hit, getting to the top of the New York Times young-adult best-seller list. Then, she received a seven-figure deal for the movie rights. The book follows the journey of a young woman, Zélie. She is from a fantasy African kingdom called Orïsha and is part of a group called Maji. 

These people had special powers before the king of the land tried to rid the world of magic. Zélie finds out that there’s a way to bring these powers back. So, she sets out to convince the tyrannical ruler's heirs to stop his brutal reign. If she succeeds, she might just also be able to help a former Maji who was mistreated and brutalized by the king’s rule. 

While Children of Blood and Bone is similar to Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, there’s one major difference- the characters are all black. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, Adeyemi said, “Every story I wrote [when I was younger], the protagonists were white or biracial because, somewhere along the line, I’d come to believe Black people couldn’t be in stories.”

But her ultimate mission was to “Write a story that’s so good and so Black that everyone’s going to have to read it.” This resulted in Children of Blood and Bone, which includes commentary on issues like police brutality, race, colorism, and more. The book also has two sequels: Children of Virtue and Vengeance and Children of Anguish and Anarchy. 

The cast of Children of Blood and Bone

• Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) as Zélie (A young woman from a poor family who lost her mother when the King ordered his soldiers to kill Maji magic doers)
• Viola Davis (The Woman King, How to Get Away With Murder) as Mama Agba (the mentor of the young Eloirin girls)
• Damson Idris (Snowfall) as Inan (Amari’s brother and the prince of Orïsha- he is dutybound to stop the restoration of magic)
• Amandla Stenberg (The Acolyte) as Amari (The princess of Orïsha who is against the violence her father brought upon the Maji)
• Idris Elba (The Wire, Luther) as Lekan (The last high Maji priest)
• Tosin Cole (Supacell) as Tzain (Zélie's older brother, who accompanies her on the quest to bring back magic)
• Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) as Admiral Kaea (She leads Inan's army and hates Majis)
• Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, The Woman King) as Jumoke (Zélie and Tzain's mother whose tribe called Ikú can manipulate spirits)
• Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as King Saran (The tyrannical king)
• Regina King (Watchmen, If Beale Street Could Talk) as Queen Nehanda (The cruel queen of Orïsha, who also hates the Maji)

Trailer of Children of Blood and Bone

A trailer hasn’t been released yet and it seems like it will be quite some time before we get the first look. But we will promptly update this space when it gets revealed. 

Filming and Production Details 

Production of Children of Blood and Bone will begin in South Africa in the first half of 2025. 

Behind the Scenes

Children of Blood and Bone will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood with a screenplay by her and Tomi Adeyemi. The film is executive produced by Adeyemi, Reggie Rock Bythewood, and John Fischer. Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Matt Jackson, Isaac Klausner, and Karen Rosenfelt have produced the movie. It will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.