The days of YA adaptations like Twilight, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and the Divergent series dominating at the box office may seem long gone.
However, Paramount haven’t given up hope that a popular teen-centric series can rake in the cash. The studio has landed the film rights to Tomi Adeyemi‘s bestselling YA trilogy, Children Of Blood And Bone.
Adeyemi will write the adaptations herself and also serve as executive producer. Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen and Karen Rosenfelt will produce for Paramount. Children Of Blood And Bone is the first book in the Legacy Of Orisha trilogy, and was published in March 2018, selling over half a million copies by the end of that year.
The novel takes inspiration from West African mythology and takes place in the fictional country of Orïsha, following protagonist Zélie Adebola. She attempts to restore magic in the kingdom after years of being suppressed alongside her fellow magic practitioners, refereed to as the maji. The book has been praised for its examination of classism, enslavement, and oppression.
Paramount was reportedly not the only studio bidding for the novel’s film rights, with Universal, Netflix and Amazon each pursuing deals with the author. But insiders stated that Paramount won out due to its deal including a seven-figure screenwriting guarantee, vast creative control, and a guaranteed theatrical release.
Co-President of Paramount Pictures Motion Group Daria Cercek praised Adeyemi’s novel in a statement: “Tomi Adeyemi‘s Children Of Blood And Bone has not only become a phenomenon in the YA world, it has transformed every expectation of what world-building fantasy can be.
It’s with enormous pride that our studio — along with Tomi and our partners Wyck, Marty and Karen — set out to bring this franchise to life on the big screen. With its thought-provoking and timely themes, we know that this story will resonate with a global audience.”
The second book in the trilogy, Children Of Virtue And Vengeance, was published in 2019 and also debuted at the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List. The third and final book is currently being written, with sources indicating that a 2023 publishing date is likely.
Had this announcement been made ten years ago, this move by Paramount would have looked like a slam dunk. But the cinematic landscape has changed, and the YA fantasy franchise that was once so strong isn’t at the same place anymore. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t get back there.
Game Of Thrones and its imitators have proven there’s still a deep love for the fantasy genre, even if their audience demographic skews a lot older. Children Of Blood And Bone is already popular enough to have a built-in audience, and Paramount will be hoping that the established fanbase can help the film version kickoff strongly and quickly make the adaptation a hit.
We’ll wait for more news regarding the film, including who the studio taps to direct.
#Peace.Love.ChildrenOfBloodAndBone
