Tomi Adeyemi won't watch Children of Blood & Bone film
Tomi Adeyemi, author of Children of Blood and Bone, has publicly distanced herself from Paramount's film adaptation, saying she will not watch the movie and is officially separating her name after feeling hurt and attacked behind the scenes. The tomi adeyemi book movie rift raises questions months before the January 2027 premiere.
Key Takeaways
- Adeyemi told fans on TikTok she will not promote or watch Gina Prince-Bythewood's Paramount adaptation.
- She shared February 2025 messages telling star Amandla Stenberg not to use her name and indicating she blocked the actress.
- Adeyemi co-wrote the screenplay and serves as executive producer, but says she cannot keep being hurt behind the scenes.
- The film, starring Stenberg, Viola Davis and Chiwetel Ejiofor, is still set for 15 January 2027.
- Neither Paramount, Prince-Bythewood nor Stenberg had publicly responded at the time of reporting.
Why is Tomi Adeyemi distancing herself from the film?
In a TikTok video posted over the weekend, Adeyemi answered fans who asked why she no longer posts about the adaptation of her 2018 bestseller. She shared a message to her community reading: There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work. That is all.
She added that she has not seen the film and will not watch it, writing that it has been painful holding this back. In a comment beneath the post, she said she does not mind anyone going to watch the film, but is laying down my sword and officially separating my name because I cannot keep being hurt and attacked behind the scenes.
What happened between Adeyemi and Amandla Stenberg?
Adeyemi's TikTok also included a screenshot of a message she sent to Stenberg, who plays Princess Amari, in late February 2025. The text read: Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me. The image suggested Adeyemi had blocked the Hunger Games and The Hate U Give star.
The messages appear to date from around the time Stenberg responded to a colorism backlash over her casting. In the book, Amari is described as having dark copper skin; Stenberg is biracial. Stenberg addressed the perception that she steals roles from dark-skinned women in a since-deleted TikTok, noting the character's lighter skin stands out from darker chestnut and mahogany hues of other characters, according to The Guardian.
When does the Children of Blood and Bone movie arrive?
Paramount's adaptation of the first book in Adeyemi's Legacy of Orïsha trilogy is scheduled to premiere on 15 January 2027. Gina Prince-Bythewood, director of The Woman King, leads a cast that includes Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Viola Davis alongside Stenberg.
Adeyemi co-wrote the screenplay with Prince-Bythewood and is credited as an executive producer. The novel debuted at number one on the New York Times young adult bestsellers list in 2018 and helped Adeyemi land a spot on Forbes's 30 Under 30 list. As book-to-screen projects collide with social-media scrutiny, stories like this one continue to surface across Future Tech and AI Wonders.
Have Paramount or Stenberg responded?
At the time of reporting, The Guardian had approached Stenberg's representative for comment and reached out to Paramount and Prince-Bythewood. Deadline also said it had contacted Stenberg's rep. No public statements from the studio, director or lead actress had been issued when the outlets published their coverage.
Adeyemi told fans she wrote Children of Blood and Bone for us and fought for us, apologising if anyone thought she did not care. Whether her executive producer and writing credits remain unchanged is unclear, but her public break with the project marks a rare author-led rupture ahead of a major studio release.