'Children of Blood and Bone' author won't see film after feud with star Amandla Stenberg

Tomi Adeyemi, the writer of the bestselling phantasy “Children of Blood and Bone,” isn’t readying to spot the forthcoming movie adaptation — adjacent though she co-wrote it.

Over the weekend, the Nigerian American writer posted a video connected TikTok addressing fans who person been asking her the aforesaid question, “Why don’t you station astir the adaptation of your archetypal movie adaptation anymore?”

“There is simply a crushed I volition not station thing astir the adaptation of my work,” the writer wrote successful what look to beryllium screenshots of a radical chat. “I person not seen the film, and I volition not ticker it.”

The adaptation of the archetypal installment of Adeyemi’s “Legacy of Orïsha” phantasy trilogy is slated to deed theaters successful January 2027. Gina Prince-Bythewood — who wrote and directed “Love & Basketball” and helmed “The Woman King” — is directing. The movie stars Amandla Stenberg, Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Viola Davis.

Alongside the screenshots of her comments successful the radical chat, she shared a February 2025 speech with Stenberg that shows the writer severing ties with the actor.

Adeyemi shared lone her last connection to Stenberg, which reads, “Do not ever usage my sanction successful an interrogation oregon video again. Do not substance me. Do not telephone me.” That speech is followed by a notification that she blocked Stenberg, who plays Princess Amari successful the upcoming phantasy flick.

The connection from Stenberg that preceded Adeyemi’s reply is not shown successful full.

Stenberg, who played Rue successful “Hunger Games,” Starr Carter successful “The Hate U Give” and, recently, Verosha “Osha” Aniseya and Mae-ho “Mae” Aniseya successful Disney’s “Star Wars” bid “The Acolyte,” had been getting flack from readers of the series, who claimed colorism was an contented portion casting the movie.

In February 2025, Stenberg posted a since-deleted nine-minute TikTok addressing the contention and told followers that Adeyemi had fixed the histrion her blessing erstwhile formed arsenic the series’ princess.

“I americium 4 months into grooming for ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ and I americium getting my ass whooped,” Stenberg joked successful the video, per BET.

“This twelvemonth was mostly defined for me, honestly, by contending with what it felt similar to person racist decease threats conscionable for existing successful the ‘Star Wars’ universe, and that was a truly hard happening for maine to determination through,” she continued. “But honestly, it feels truthful overmuch much achy for maine to consciousness similar I’m astatine likelihood with my ain community.”

Stenberg said that she considers her tegument code erstwhile navigating her vocation choices and would “never spell aft a role” she didn’t consciousness good suited for. “I cognize that colorism is an insidious strategy that relentlessly impacts each facet of entertainment.”

The histrion continued that it was really a gathering with the “Children of Blood and Bone” writer that gave her the assurance to prosecute the role.

“I had the accidental to conscionable Tomi, the novelist, for the archetypal time. … And she goes, ‘Amandla, I privation you to cognize that erstwhile you were a small miss and you were formed arsenic Rue successful “The Hunger Games,” and radical said that Rue’s decease wouldn’t beryllium arsenic bittersweet due to the fact that you’re a Black miss — that inspired maine to constitute this bid truthful that Black girls similar you and Black girls of each shades could person a communicative written astir them,’” Stenberg said successful the video. “We started crying, and I said to myself, ‘God wants maine here.’”

Representatives for Stenberg, Adeyemi and Prince-Bythewood did not instantly respond to The Times’ petition for comment.