'Children of Blood and Bone' Cast: Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, and Damson Idris star
'Children of Blood and Bone' casting news
![Children of Blood and Bone [Book]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zWZo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ee6aee7-359c-410f-9286-31d7ea277b71_1666x2560.jpeg "Children of Blood and Bone [Book]")
The New York Times bestselling novel Children of Blood and Bone is shaping up to be a monumental step for African fantasy on the big screen. The star-studded cast is led by Thuso Mbedu, who’ll play the book's heroine Zélie Adebola. Mbedu will be accompanied by Amandla Stenberg(Princess Amari), Damson Idris(Prince Inan), and Tosin Cole(Tzain).
Though it doesn’t stop there— Viola Davis(Mama Agba), Oscar nominee, Cynthia Erivo(Admiral Kaea), Idris Elba(high priest Lekan), Lashana Lynch(Jumoke), and Chiwetel Ejiofor(King Saran) join the ensemble.
Currently in negotiations to join the rest of the cast are Academy Award winner Regina King(Queen Nehanda), Dianna Babnicova(Folake), and Bukky Bakray(Binta). Additionally, there will be casting announcements later from an open casting call for actors living in Nigeria.
Paramount Pictures expects a theatrical IMAX release on January 15, 2027, and the feature is slated to begin production in the coming weeks in South Africa. The project has been a top priority for the studio since President and co-Ceo Brian Robing and the Motion Picture Group co-president Caria Cerek and Mike Ireland acquired the right to the “Legacy of Orïsha” trilogy. In the latter of of 2023, Gina Prince-Bytehwood was signed on to direct. New York Times bestselling author, Tomi Adeyemi is set to produce and write the script alongside David Magee and Prince-Bythewood.
The story is set in an African fantasy kingdom, where a young woman, Zeilie(Mbedu) embarks on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stripped away from her people by the vicious King Saran. The film will adapt Zelie and her older brother Tzain(Cole) as they ally with the king’s daughter, Princess Amari (Stenberg), and son, Prince Inan(Idris) to fight back against his rule.
A woman blessed with magical powers by the gods and living in a place where you are forbidden to use them, teams up with a princess to summon the gods and bring down the oppressive regime. - Logline, IMDB
The 2018 New York Times No. 1 best-selling fantasy novel is sure to make big moves at the box office, with its star-studded cast and supportive fanbase. Adeyemi who, actively interacts with supporters online, shared her excitement on Instagram.
While the casting is undoubtedly qualified and talented, fans of the books have had mixed reactions.
Naturally, the consensus among fans is that the decision to cast older actors for a story centered around children is... definitely a choice. So far, the youngest cast member is 26 years old, which has raised some eyebrows.
The other topic of debate is the casting of Amandla Stenberg, who has a stark difference in complexion in comparison to fellow co-star Damon Idris(Prince Inan) who plays her brother. This dynamic does—I WON’T LIE— tap into a common trope in Hollywood of a light-skinned daughter and dark skin brother—or similarly, a dark-skinned husband and light-skinned wife. It's a pattern that has drawn criticism for perpetuating colorist standards—especially— in stories that are culturally significant like Children of Blood and Bone.
On another note, we’ll hear about the results from the open casting call in the coming weeks and further updates as the film phases into production.
Children of Blood and Bone has been on my TBR list for ages, and this announcement has finally given me the push to read the damn thing! Super excited to see this amazing cast in action and a film of this cultural magnitude be celebrated.
So what are your thoughts on the casting?
Are you excited, upset— a little bit of both? Let’s chat about it in the comments.