The first look of the anticipated film adaptation of the African fantasy book Children of Blood and Bone was recently released. This came shortly after the author Tomi Adeyemi took to social media to express that she is distancing herself from the film. Here’s why fans have mixed reactions about colorism and cultural representation in the film.
Author Film Adaptation Rights
When authors sell the film adaptation rights to their books, they have practically no say in the production of the film unless it was negotiated in the contract. Authors can negotiate approval rights, which can include the movie’s script, casting, director, or request for producer credit. For upcoming authors with limited leverage, it can be difficult to make such demands to avoid jeopardizing their ability to sell their film adaptation rights.
When Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to Children of Blood and Bone, Adeyemi negotiated a screenwriting deal and an executive producer role. She was initially involved in the production of the film, including the casting process, until recently, when she took to social media to pull support for the film.
Despite co-writing the initial screenplay with director Gina Price-Bythewood and having an executive producer role, there’s speculation about behind-the-scenes creative disagreements. Even though she was vague about why she distanced herself from the film, it’s safe to assume she had no final say in the film’s direction.
Colorism in Casting
Upon the news of Adeyemi distancing herself from the film, some people online were quick to call her out on her hypocrisy. She initially supported Amandla Stenberg’s casting for the role of Princess Amari, a darker-skinned character whose features are central to her storyline in Children of Blood and Bone. Amari experiences colorism from her mother, Queen Nehanda, a lighter-skinned woman who constantly encourages her to lighten her skin. As a result, audiences were confused about casting Stenberg, a biracial Black woman, for the role.
Based on the first-look images released, some people noticed that Stenberg’s skin tone was tanned to make her appear darker than usual. Queen Nehanda, played by Regina King, has brown skin and a similar complexion to Amandla. This begs the question: “Will Queen Nehanda’s colorism towards Princess Amari carry the same weight in the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone? Alternatively, will the colorism plot line be abandoned altogether?
In addition to the colorist casting, some fans were upset that the main cast doesn’t include local Nigerian actors despite Adeyemi announcing an open casting call in Nigeria. While the main cast of Children of Blood and Bone features British-Nigerian actors, local Nigerian talent appears only in supporting roles.
Some people acknowledge that a Hollywood production must include well-known actors to ensure the film’s marketability. This explains why the cast includes heavy hitters such as Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Cynthia Erivo.
Cultural Misrepresentation
While veteran Hollywood actors will aid the marketability of the film, fans are holding their breath on the authentic delivery of the story. The first look images sparked conversations about the portrayal of African culture as a monolith. Children of Blood and Bone is influenced by Yoruba culture and spirituality; however, some have expressed that the clothing aesthetic featured is akin to a costume.
The imagery of Children of Blood and Bone has been compared to the Wakanda aesthetic. While viewers are excited to see more African stories told in mainstream media, there is always concern about flattening them through the lens of American audiences. In an effort to commercialize African narratives in film, production companies are neglecting the authentic portrayal of the stories.
A lot of African viewers are already expecting the accents in Children of Blood and Bone will not stay true to the source material. The fear of butchered accents could have been avoided if local Yoruba people were prioritized during the main casting.
While taking a chance on unknown or up-and-coming talent doesn’t guarantee commercial success of a film, even current known actors had to start somewhere. Someone had to take a chance on them before their rise to fame, so why can’t Hollywood take a chance on untapped talent?
Mixed Fan Reactions
Despite distancing herself from the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, Adeyemi asked fans not to boycott the film. While some fans were already against the film due to the colorism-related casting choice, others joined the bandwagon after Adeyemi’s social media remarks.
Other fans argue that there are very limited Black fantasy movies, so audiences should still support the film. They expressed that the success of Children of Blood and Bone will determine whether future Black fantasy films will be greenlit for production.
In terms of cultural representation, some argue that fantasy movies don’t have to follow strict guidelines since the story is fictional. Additionally, White movie productions are given room for failure, so why shouldn’t the same courtesy be extended to Black movie productions?
Since Paramount acquired the rights to Adeyemi’s entire trilogy series, Legacy of Orisha, the success of Children of Blood and Bone will heavily influence the film adaptation of the rest of the books. What are your thoughts, N Crowd? Are you planning to go and see Children of Blood and Bone in theaters on January 15, 2027?
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