Tomi Adeyemi Won't Watch ‘Children of Blood and Bone,’ Says Gina Prince-Bythewood Should be Blamed For “Every Decision"

Tomi Adeyemi still isn't done with bashing Paramount’s upcoming "Children of Blood and Bone.”

The bestselling author, who co-wrote the screenplay and serves as an executive producer on Gina Prince-Bythewood's adaptation of her 2018 novel, tells The Guardian in a new interview that she will "never" let another one of her books become a movie. Given everything we've heard over the past three months, it's hard to be surprised.

Adeyemi adds she has “no plans to watch” the film.

To recap: back in early July, Adeyemi first went to TikTok to announce she wouldn't promote the film and had no intention of watching it. Then, just a day after the first trailer dropped in late July, she posted a video calling the production "the worst thing I have ever had to live through," saying she left set "hyperventilating and sobbing."

Adeyemi claimed the problems had been going on for roughly a year and a half, and that people at the top of the production knew about her concerns and did nothing. Weeks later, Vanity Fair reported that her relationship with star Amandla Stenberg fell apart after the actress publicly cited Adeyemi's support for her casting as Amari — a casting that drew colorism criticism from book fans, since the character is written with "dark copper skin." Adeyemi had earlier posted, then deleted, a group chat in which she told Stenberg to never use her name again before appearing to block her.

Speaking to The Guardian, Adeyemi said she spoke out because staying silent meant she couldn't move on, adding that she has to "live with me, every day." She still won't say exactly what happened ("I won't go into the specifics"), describing the whole trilogy-to-screen journey as "biblical." Asked about Stenberg, she pointed the finger squarely at Prince-Bythewood, saying that on a film every decision belongs to the filmmaker and that "these aren't my choices."

None of this is a good look for Paramount, which had already raised eyebrows by slotting the film into January, traditionally a dumping ground. And one of the main reasons Paramount acquired the rights from Disney/Lucasfilm was to give Adeyemi creative control over the screenplay — which makes her complete estrangement from the project all the more striking. The production also went through reshoots earlier this year.

The cast includes Thuso Mbedu, Damson Idris, Stenberg, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Regina King, Idris Elba and Viola Davis. "Children of Blood and Bone" opens January 15, 2027.