After a series of stills and teaser footage, Paramount has dropped the official first full trailer for Children of Blood and Bone, adapting Tomi Adeyemi's popular fantasy bestseller.
Rooted in rich West African and Yoruba mythology, the original 2018 novel became a global phenomenon, often described as the "African Harry Potter".
Bringing the story to life is director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King, The Old Guard), capping off a long journey to the big screen for the project that originally began with Disney back in 2017 before Paramount snatched up the rights in 2022. The project couldn't get off the ground at Disney partially due to Adeyemi's dissatisfaction with the script and creative choices.
But Paramount is looking to complete the journey from page to screen as Children of Blood and Bone unfolds in Orïsha, a kingdom stripped of its magic during a brutal royal massacre known as "The Raid."
Years later, an orphaned Zélie Adebola lives as a persecuted outcast alongside the surviving descendants of magic. Everything changes when she crosses paths with the fleeing rogue Princess Amari, who escaped the royal sanctuary carrying a stolen relic that can reawaken Zélie's latent powers.
Complicating matters further is the fact that possible 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.