The film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone has found its director.
Gina Prince-Bythewood will helm the film based on the bestselling young adult fantasy novel, Deadline reports.
Adeyemi’s book, published in 2018 by Henry Holt, tells the story of Zélie Adebola, a 17-year-old with magical powers who battles against an evil prince seeking to eradicate magic from the kingdom of Orïsha.
The novel, the first in a projected trilogy, became a New York Times bestseller shortly after its release; in a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called it “powerful, captivating, and raw.” It was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize in young readers’ literature.
The second book in the series, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, was released in 2019, with the final installment, Children of Anguish and Anarchy, scheduled for publication next June.
Prince-Bythewood is known for helming films including Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees, and, most recently, The Woman King. She confirmed her involvement with the upcoming film on Instagram, writing, “Humbled, grateful and so so excited to play in the incredible world @tomiadeyemi has created. Sincerely appreciate the trust.”
Adeyemi also posted about the film on Instagram, writing, “so many of you have been on this journey with me for so long. believe me when i tell you that we could not be in more talented, dedicated, and masterful hands.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
