Tomi Adeyemi, the author of the popular YA fantasy Children of Blood and Bone, has distanced herself from the forthcoming film adaptation of her book.
“There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” the Nigerian-American author said in group chat messages shared to TikTok.
The Paramount adaptation of Adeyemi’s best-selling debut novel is set to premiere on 15 January 2027. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King), the film is slated to star Amandla Stenberg, Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Viola Davis.
Adeyemi’s post also shares what seem to be messages sent to star Stenberg in February 2025, reading: “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.”
The messages appear to be from around the time that Stenberg responded to a colorism backlash surrounding her role. Stenberg’s character of Princess Amari is described in the book as having “dark copper skin”; the actor is biracial.
After many fans of the book questioned whether Stenberg was the right choice for the role, the actor responded to the “perception of me that I steal roles from dark-skinned women” in a now-deleted TikTok. Stenberg added that Amari was described as having lighter skin that stands out from the “darker chestnut and mahogany hues” of other characters.
The Guardian has approached Stenberg’s representative for comment.
“I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it,” added Adeyemi, who co-wrote the film with Prince-Bythewood, on TikTok. “It’s been painful holding this back from you all … And I’m sorry if any of you thought I didn’t care about US. More than any glitter.”
Children of Blood and Bone is the first book in Adeyemi’s wildly popular Legacy of Orïsha series. Upon its release in 2018, it debuted at number one on the New York Times’s Young Adult bestsellers list, and saw Adeyemi named to Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list.
“I had a lot of different reasons for writing the book but at its core was the desire to write for black teenage girls growing up reading books they were absent from,” Adeyemi told the Guardian in an interview around the book’s release. “That was my experience as a child. Children of Blood and Bone is a chance to address that. To say you are seen.”
Replying to a fan in comments beneath her post, Adeyemi said: “I do not mind anyone going to watch the film. I wrote this for us. I fought for us. I’m just laying down my sword and officially separating my name because I can’t keep being hurt and attacked behind the scenes.”
The Guardian has reached out to Paramount and Prince-Bythewood for comment.
