We wondered what “Children of Blood and Bone” author Tomi Adeyemi was so angry about that she ultimately distanced herself from the film, raising more questions about what went wrong behind the scenes. What exactly happened has remained unclear.
Adeyemi previously said she would not promote the adaptation, despite having played a major role in getting the film made. In a five-minute video posted to social media, she called the experience “the worst thing I have ever had to live through,” saying she left the set “hyperventilating and sobbing” and has been unable to bring herself to watch the finished film.
Vanity Fair has now taken an extensive look at the drama, and according to the publication, Adeyemi’s relationship with lead Amandla Stenberg reportedly fell apart after the actress publicly discussed the author’s support of her casting.
If you remember, Stenberg had faced backlash over her casting as Amari, with some fans arguing that a lighter-skinned actress should not have been cast in the role. In a social media video, Stenberg addressed the controversy and specifically mentioned Adeyemi, saying the author had told her that her performance as Rue in “The Hunger Games” partially inspired the book series.
Stenberg also said Adeyemi wanted the film to feature “a world on screen that is vibrant with different skin tones and different shades.”
Apparently, Adeyemi was not happy about her name being used in the discussion. Vanity Fair reports that she later sent Stenberg a blunt text: “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.”
The tension reportedly followed them onto the set. Adeyemi arrived just days after Stenberg’s video to film her cameo, and according to a source cited by Vanity Fair, the strained relationship between the two became difficult for the production to navigate, and lasted throughout the shoot.
Of course, Vanity Fair’s report doesn’t provide the full story, and there are clearly still pieces missing. Neither Adeyemi nor Stenberg has publicly given a complete account of what happened between them. But for the first time, we have some idea of how this all began.
Directed by Prince-Bythewood, “Children of Blood and Bone” is based on Adeyemi’s bestselling novel of the same name. Adeyemi, who also co-wrote the screenplay and serves as an executive producer, will likely not be present for any of the film’s marketing, which includes interviews.
It already raised eyebrows when Paramount scheduled the film for a January 15, 2027 release—a month often viewed as a studio dumping ground—and now the situation has made what happened on-set more enticing than however the film might turn out.
Skydance execs, who arrived on Tuesday at their new offices (formerly Warner Bros), opened the books and "were shocked to learn the extent of the loss" on "Digger.”