Tomi Adeyemi, the bestselling author behind the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, has publicly distanced herself from the upcoming Paramount Pictures adaptation of her debut novel Children of Blood and Bone, revealing she has not seen the finished film and will not watch it.
In a video posted on her TikTOk, Adeyemi offered no specific explanation but made her position clear. “There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” she wrote. “That’s all.” She directed fans who want to support her to purchase any edition of the trilogy from an independent bookstore, specifically naming Books of Wonder in New York City. “I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it,” she added. “It’s been painful holding this back from you all. I will always care about US more than any glitter.”
@tomi.adeyemi ✨🐉 for everyone’s who’s been asking – i’m answering this question once and for all. #childrenofbloodandbone #tomiadeyemi #booktok #blackbooktok ♬ original sound – shaalo_
The conversation continued in the comments section of her TikTok, where Adeyemi responded directly to fans. When one follower pointed out that she had co-written the script, produced the film, visited the set in Cape Town, and previously praised it on a podcast, Adeyemi pushed back sharply. “What I did was work for 14 years to make this a reality,” she wrote. “All final decisions are the director’s and they always have been. If you were told they were mine, you were lied to on purpose.” To another fan she added, “I’m sorry, my love. I tried everything I could to make this work. And I do mean EVERYTHING.”
When a commenter suggested that fans would still go see the film without knowing the full story behind her departure, Adeyemi did not discourage them. “I do not mind anyone going to watch the film,” she replied. “I wrote this for us. I fought for us. I’m just laying down my sword and officially separating my name because I can’t keep being hurt and attacked behind the scenes.”
The posts also revealed an apparent falling out with cast member Amandla Stenberg. Adeyemi shared a screenshot of a message she sent to the actress reading, “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me,” alongside evidence that she had blocked Stenberg on social media. The screenshot appears to date back to February 28, 2025, weeks after Stenberg posted an eight-minute TikTok in February 2025 responding to colorism criticism over her casting, in which she recounted a personal conversation with Adeyemi that the author has not publicly addressed.
The fallout is notable given how central Adeyemi was to the project. When Paramount acquired the rights in 2022, following a complicated journey through Fox 2000, Disney, and Lucasfilm, one of the key selling points was that Adeyemi would co-write the screenplay alongside director Gina Prince-Bythewood and serve as an executive producer. The exact reasons for her change of heart remain unclear, though the production did undergo reshoots earlier this year and footage screened at CinemaCon in April was reportedly met with a lukewarm reception.
The road to adaptation was already a long one. Rights were first optioned in early 2017 with Fox 2000 and director Rick Famuyiwa attached. Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019 handed the project to Lucasfilm with a new writer, but it was placed in turnaround by late 2021. Paramount picked it up in January 2022 and began moving it forward in earnest, with the majority of the cast announced between late 2024 and early 2025.
Directed by Prince-Bythewood, whose credits include The Woman King and The Old Guard, the film is set in a West African-inspired fantasy kingdom and follows Zélie Adebola, a young woman on a dangerous mission to restore magic stolen from her people. Alongside her brother Tzain, she joins forces with Princess Amari and Prince Inan, children of the ruthless King Saran, in a rebellion against his oppressive rule.
The ensemble cast includes Thuso Mbedu as Zélie, Amandla Stenberg as Amari, Tosin Cole as Tzain, and Damson Idris as Inan. Also starring are Viola Davis, Regina King, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor as King Saran, Saniyya Sidney, Zackary Momoh, Diaana Babnicova, Bukky Bakray, Temi Fagbenle, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, and Pamilerin Ayodeji and Shamz Garuba, both discovered through an open casting call in Nigeria.
The source material remains a publishing phenomenon. The Legacy of Orïsha trilogy spent a combined 175 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, with Children of Blood and Bone topping the Young Adult Hardcover category for four weeks. The series has sold nearly three million copies worldwide.
Paramount and those involved with the production have not responded to Adeyemi’s posts. Children of Blood and Bone is scheduled to open in IMAX theaters on January 15, 2027.