Here is the first trailer for Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “Children of Blood and Bone.”
The film already raised eyebrows when Paramount scheduled it for a January 15, 2027 release—a month often viewed as a studio dumping ground—and it certainly doesn’t help that the adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, which she also co-wrote the screenplay for, has been publicly disowned by Adeyemi on social media. She also serves as an executive producer on the film.
Why Adeyemi decided to step away remains the biggest question. It’s possible the filmmakers significantly altered her script, though the exact reasons remain unclear. The production also underwent reshoots earlier this year, which has only fueled speculation.
The trailer makes it look like “The Last Airbender” set in Wakanda.
“Children of Blood and Bone” takes place in an African fantasy kingdom where a young woman embarks on a quest to restore the magic that was violently stolen from her people.
The ensemble cast includes Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Viola Davis.
The last major update from Prince-Bythewood came as she continued work on the project following “The Woman King” in 2022. Since then, the filmmaker—whose credits also include “The Old Guard,” “Love & Basketball,” and “The Secret Life of Bees”—has been deeply involved in the pre-production, filming, and post-production of “Children of Blood and Bone.”