Tomi Adeyemi refuses to watch Paramount’s Children of Blood and Bone adaptation

Every time I wander through my local Indigo—which, for anyone outside Canada, is basically Barnes & Noble with a touch more maple syrup—I get drawn in by the cover of Tomi Adeyemi's 'Children of Blood and Bone'. It's one of those books that practically begs to be picked up, all striking artwork and intriguing premise. And let's be honest, I keep telling myself to read more Black authors. So, when it came out that Gina Prince-Bythewood was taking a swing at adapting Adeyemi's novel for Paramount, I was properly interested. Prince-Bythewood delivered some serious style with 'The Old Guard', so handing her the keys to a high-fantasy, West African-inspired adventure seemed like a strong shout. The big screen version arrives 15 January 2027, but you’ll notice there’s more drama behind the scenes than in some of the battles on the page.

Adeyemi Ditches the Adaptation—And She’s Not Exactly Keeping Quiet

Now, things get a bit spicy. Fans have been wondering why Tomi Adeyemi's been suspiciously quiet in the run-up to the film. She’s not posting teasers, not boosting trailers, nothing. Finally, she decided to tackle the elephant in the room, using TikTok for a bit of authorial honesty:

'There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work. That's all.
And lastly since someone asked – I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it. It's been painful holding this back from you all... And I'm sorry if any of you thought I didn't care about US. More than any glitter.'

It doesn’t end there, either. In what’s probably the least pleasant DM you could get before a movie release, Adeyemi apparently sent a message to Amandla Stenberg—who’s playing Princess Amari in the film—telling her in no uncertain terms: 'Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.' That’s pretty chilly, especially considering Stenberg’s profile in the project. For the record, this message seems to have gone out at the end of February. Stenberg’s team haven’t responded yet, and frankly, it’s a bit uncomfortable all round.

Stenberg's Side: Once, It Was All Love

To muddy the waters, a past interview had Stenberg recalling her first meeting with Adeyemi in far warmer tones. Stenberg said:

'I had the opportunity to meet Tomi, the novelist, for the first time. Then, she goes, "Amandla, I want you to know that when you were a little girl and were cast as Rue in The Hunger Games, and you had these racist remarks thrown at you because people said that Rue's death wouldn't be as sad because you're a Black girl — that inspired me to write this series, so that Black girls like you and Black girls of all shades could have a story written about them." We just started crying, and I said to myself, "God wants me here!"'

So, whatever’s happened, the breakdown must be fairly recent—considering it was all hugs and tears before.

A Quick Catch-Up: What’s Children of Blood and Bone Even About?

For those who haven’t got round to reading it (join the club), the book follows Zélie Adebola, who’s living in a world that’s lost its magic. Her mother was murdered. The magical order of the maji has been pretty much wiped out by a tyrant king. Hope’s running on fumes. Zélie, along with a rogue princess, tries to bring magic back and take the fight to the crown prince—who’s dead set on erasing magic for good. The place is teeming with danger, from prowling snow leoponaires (yep, magical snow leopard-lion things) to vengeful spirits lurking wherever you look. And if that wasn’t enough, Zélie has to handle her own unpredictable powers and possibly falling for, well, the enemy.

CinemaCon Preview: Big Names, Big Ambition

I caught the CinemaCon footage, and it’s clear they’re not holding back. This isn’t some throwaway YA adaptation—they’ve gone big and bold with the casting:

• Amandla Stenberg as Princess Amari
• Damson Idris (who’s having a bit of a moment post-F1)
• Idris Elba, never a bad thing, plus Chiwetel Ejiofor doing a rare villain turn

It’s ambitious stuff, and no question the studio’s hoping for a new fantasy franchise. Seems a missed opportunity, though, that the actual author isn’t behind it—or even willing to watch. Worth noting, 'Children of Blood and Bone' is just the kick-off to Adeyemi’s wider 'Legacy of Orïsha' trilogy, so this first film is meant to be the beginning, not the whole story.