Prince-Bythewood Previews Blood and Bone, Calls Adeyemi Genius
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- Gina Prince-Bythewood and star Thuso Mbedu debuted never-before-seen clips from Paramount's 'Children of Blood and Bone' at the opening night of the 24th annual Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, though the film is not set to premiere until January 15, 2027.
- Prince-Bythewood called author Tomi Adeyemi 'a genius,' praised her 2018 novel's 'incredible characters,' and said she was deeply moved by protagonist Lali's fight to restore magic to the fictional kingdom of Orïsha.
- Thuso Mbedu stars as Zélie Adebola alongside an A-list cast including Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, Regina King, Lashana Lynch, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, and Viola Davis, with filming taking place on location in South Africa.
- Tomi Adeyemi publicly announced she will not watch the finished film, stating she left set 'hyperventilating and sobbing' and is 'still being antagonized behind the scenes' — claims neither Prince-Bythewood nor Mbedu addressed on stage.
- Prince-Bythewood defended her casting of Amandla Stenberg as Princess Amari amid colorism allegations, saying she 'auditioned every young actor for that role' and Stenberg 'took it, grabbed it,' while declining to address Adeyemi's apparent falling-out with Stenberg in a since-deleted TikTok group chat.
- Mbedu began stunt training and role preparation nearly a year before filming began, telling the audience she 'leaned into the source material' by repeatedly reading and rereading Adeyemi's novel alongside the screenplay she co-wrote with Prince-Bythewood.
Why it matters: Prince-Bythewood's January 2027 Paramount adaptation of Adeyemi's 2018 bestseller pairs blockbuster ambitions — an A-list cast including Thuso Mbedu, Regina King, Idris Elba, and Viola Davis — with unresolved backstage tensions the director declined to address onstage, including Adeyemi's public refusal to watch the film and the Stenberg colorism backlash.
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