The Paramount film adaptation of “Children of Blood and Bone” was showcased at the opening night of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, where director Gina Prince-Bythewood and lead actor Thuso Mbedu presented unreleased footage and discussed the production.
Based on Tomi Adeyemi’s 2018 novel, the film was shot in South Africa, which served as the location for the fictional kingdom of Orïsha. The story follows a young woman who embarks on a quest to restore magic that was forcibly taken from her people, alongside allies including the king’s children. The ensemble cast includes Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, Regina King, Lashana Lynch, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo and Viola Davis.
Mbedu stars as Zélie Adebola, a character with the ability to command the undead. She returned to her native South Africa for filming and began intensive preparation, including stunt training, nearly a year before production commenced. Mbedu emphasized her deep engagement with the source material, reading the novel multiple times alongside the screenplay and working to incorporate the broader world’s history and context into her performance.
Prince-Bythewood highlighted the importance of casting to the project, noting that assembling the right ensemble was crucial to realizing a film of this scale and scope. She described the source material as expansive, requiring creative choices about which elements to adapt for screen. The director expressed admiration for Adeyemi’s creation, calling her a “genius” and praising the characters and world she developed.
The film is scheduled to debut Jan.15, 2027. Prince-Bythewood stated her intention for audiences to experience a full range of emotions through the film, from anger and laughter to hope, and expressed pride in the project’s potential cultural significance.
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