The long-gestating West African-inspired fantasy epic Children of Blood and Bone has set an all-star cast at Paramount
Folks who have been keeping tabs on everything Lucasfilm might remember there once was a Children of Blood and Bone adaptation in the works at the studio. The fantasy epic would’ve marked the company’s first non-Star Wars project (though we’ve had Willow and Indy 5 since) since it was acquired by Disney. However, the rights lapsed and went towards Paramount. Now, the movie is close to production and has secured a pretty impressive cast.
The action-fantasy movie is based on Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, first in the Legacy of the Orïsha trilogy. It follows “heroine Zélie Adebola as she attempts to restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha, following the ruling class kosidáns’ brutal suppression of the class of magic practitioners Zélie belongs to, the maji.” Orïsha is said to represent an alternate pre-colonial Nigeria “and is inhabited by two distinct people: divîners (who can become magical maji and who manifest white hair) and non-magical kosidán.”
Variety broke the news that Paramount has locked in a January 15, 2027, release date, with an IMAX rollout also planned. Moreover, Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King), Amandla Stenberg (Star Wars: The Acolyte), Damson Idris (Snowfall), and Tosin Cole (Supacell) are now set to take on the lead roles.
They’ll be joined by Viola Davis (The Woman King), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Lashana Lynch (No Time To Die), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave). Furthermore, Regina King (Shirley), Diaana Babnicova (Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot), and Bukky Bakray (Rocks) are in negotiations to join the stacked ensemble. The Woman King’s Gina Prince-Bythewood is directing from a script co-written by herself and Adeyemi.
Paramount is clearly planning to go big with this one, especially as it’s currently struggling to find enough ‘life rafts’ to make its numbers go up. With the previous Mission: Impossible underperforming (which casts doubt on The Final Reckoning’s potential), the Transformers x GI Joe crossover still in the planning phase, and Star Trek taking a far too lengthy nap on the theatrical side of things, Sonic the Hedgehog alone can’t save the production-distribution company in the buzzy blockbuster leagues.