It’s only been a few days since we got our first look at The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s next movie, Children Of Blood And Bone, and frankly since then we’ve been dying to see more of the filmmaker’s blockbuster, all-star take on Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling Afro-fantasy novel. Clearly somebody is looking out for us then, as today has just seen the release of the first full trailer for the movie — giving us our first proper introduction to the magical kingdom of Orïsha, the movie’s headstrong, white-haired heroine Zélie (Thuso Mbedu), and the forces standing with and against her as she seeks to wrest control of magic back from Chiwetel Ejiofor’s cruel King Saran. Check it out below;
Beyoncé on the soundtrack? Yup. A veritable constellation of stars (Viola Davis! Regina King! Damson Idris! Tosin Cole! Cynthia Erivo! Lasagna Lynch! Amandla Stenberg!) in stunning fits, fully immersed in a magical world infused with West African mythology? Oh aye. And a rollicking coming-of-age fantasy adventure in the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson tradition elevated by a sense of social, class, and racial consciousness that takes that foundational story of myth and magic and makes it singular, distinct, and instantly captivating? Damn skippy, Prince-Bythewood’s gone for the trifecta (admittedly a very niche trifecta) — and on present evidence, it looks like she’s hitting it out of the park with this one. If the striking fits, kinetic fight choreography, and sense of cultural weight carries some undeniable Black Panther vibes, that’s almost certainly no accident. All the same, make no mistake: this looks like a singular vision from a singular filmmaker and we are seated for it.
And here’s the succinct official synopsis for the star-studded movie: “In the epic fantasy world of Orïsha, a young woman goes on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stolen from her people. She and her brother ally with the daughter and son of the king to fight back against his brutal rule.”
Co-written by Prince-Bythewood with author Tomi Adeyemi — the latter of whom has, in recent weeks, distanced herself from the project for reasons as yet unclear — Children Of Blood And Bone is a landmark work of YA fantasy fiction. We look forward to seeing whether the movie can channel that magic into a critical and commercial hit when the film lands in cinemas and IMAX on 15 January, 2027.