Adeyemi Cuts Ties With Children of Blood & Bone Film
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- Tomi Adeyemi publicly distanced herself from the Paramount adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone via TikTok, sharing group chat messages that read: "There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work"
- Adeyemi posted what appear to be messages she sent to star Amandla Stenberg in February 2025 — "Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me" — seemingly tied to Stenberg's response to a colorism backlash over her casting as Princess Amari, a character described in the book as having "dark copper skin" while Stenberg is biracial
- The Paramount film, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and co-written by Adeyemi, is set to premiere January 15, 2027, with a stacked cast including Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Viola Davis
- Adeyemi stated on TikTok: "I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it," adding she is "laying down my sword and officially separating my name because I can't keep being hurt and attacked behind the scenes"
- Despite withdrawing her name, Adeyemi clarified in comments: "I do not mind anyone going to watch the film. I wrote this for us. I fought for us" — framing her exit as personal, not a call for boycott
- Stenberg had addressed the casting criticism in a now-deleted TikTok, speaking to "the perception of me that I steal roles from dark-skinned women," and describing Amari's lighter skin as standing out from the "darker chestnut and mahogany hues" of other characters
Why it matters: Paramount now promotes a January 15, 2027 blockbuster without the visible support of the author who co-wrote the screenplay and whose 2018 novel debuted at #1 on the NYT YA list. Adeyemi originally wrote the book for "black teenage girls growing up reading books they were absent from" — making her public silence about the adaptation a particularly painful rupture for the readership the project was built to serve.
