The highly anticipated first full trailer for the film adaptation of Nigerian-American author Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone is here.
The 2018 novel uses the ancient mythology of West African and Yoruba culture to create a popular work that has drawn comparisons to Harry Potter.
Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King, The Old Guard) directs the adaptation, which was first optioned by Disney/20th Century Fox in 2017, prior to the book's actual publication. However, development stalled there for several years and the rights were acquired by Paramount in 2022.
In the fantasy world of Orïsha, magic was violently erased a decade ago during "The Raid", a royal massacre that left young Zélie Adebola orphaned and her fellow magic-descendants living as persecuted outcasts under a tyrant king.
Zélie's life is forever changed when she crosses paths with rogue Princess Amari, who just fled the palace with a stolen relic capable of awakening her dormant magical abilities.
Complicating matters further is the fact that love sparks fly when Zélie also meets Amari's brother, Prince and future King, Tzain, who ultimately joins them on a quest to find three sacred items needed to complete a ritual that will bring magic back to not just Zélie but all of Orïsha.
Of course, the film adaptation has not been without controversy as Adeyemi recently announced that she was not happy with the film adaptation and wanted her name and all association with the project removed from any marketing or promotional efforts.
Her exact reasoning remains a mystery at this time, but in a social media post, she specifically called out Amandla Stenberg, which has led to speculation that Adeyemi's issues are specifically with her and her casting.
Nevertheless, the first trailer has now been publicly released and it will be interesting to see how fans of the novel and general moviegoers alike respond to the footage.
From visionary filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood, the world of Orïsha comes to life. Watch the Official Trailer for Children of Blood and Bone - only in theatres and IMAX January 15, 2027.
In the epic fantasy world of Orïsha, a young woman goes on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stolen from her people. She and her brother ally with the daughter and son of the king to fight back against his brutal rule.
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE features a stellar cast including Thuso Mbedu, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, featuring Academy Award® nominee Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Zackary Momoh, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Academy Award® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Academy Award® winner Regina King, with Idris Elba and Academy Award® winner Viola Davis.