Gina Prince-Bythewood is set to direct Paramount Pictures’ adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, “Children of Blood and Bone.”
The book, which follows the tale of a young girl tasked with restoring magic to a land now ruled by a murderous king, has been a priority for the studio since 2022.
The books synopsis reads:
In a world stripped of magic, where the ruthless King Saran has slaughtered the maji, Zélie Adebola, a headstrong divîner with luminous white hair, teams up with Princess Amari to restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha. Their quest involves challenging oppressive forces and overcoming the ban on magic. Zélie, Amari, and their allies face myriad challenges in this mythical realm filled with monarchy and mythical elements inspired by Nigerian mythology. The narrative, crafted by Tomi Adeyemi in her debut novel, unfolds as a gripping fantasy saga with themes of resistance and the pursuit of justice.
“Children of Blood and Bone” marks the beginning of a planned trilogy and is inspired by Nigerian mythology.
Casting details are pending.
Producers include Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Karen Rosenfelt, and Matt Jackson. Executive producers are Tomi Adeyemi and Reggie Rock Bythewood. Paramount secured the rights to the trilogy in 2022. They beat out competitors with a compelling offer, including a seven-figure screenwriting guarantee, creative approvals for Adeyemi, and a guaranteed theatrical release.
Mika Pryce, SVP Production, oversees the project for Paramount, with the final book in the trilogy, “Children of Anguish and Anarchy,” slated for release on June 25, 2024.
For Gina Prince-Bythewood this marks as another major franchise opportunity.
Tomi Adeyemi’s novels, “Children of Blood and Bone” and “Children of Virtue and Vengeance,” both reached No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. With Prince-Bythewood directing, the cinematic adaptation promises to bring Adeyemi’s magical world to the big screen.