Viola Davis, Idris Elba’s ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ sets release date in stunning first trailer
Paramount has released the trailer for ‘Children of Blood and Bone,’ offering a look at the fantasy adaptation before its January 15, 2027, theatrical and IMAX release. Thuso Mbedu leads the movie as Zélie, a young maji living in the kingdom of Orïsha after magic was violently taken from her people. The footage introduces the conflict that drives her to challenge King Saran’s rule and shows how the king’s children become involved in her fight. It also offers a closer look at the cast in their roles. The trailer opens with Zélie being told that Orïsha was once a land where magic flowed through its people.
The trailer introduces Zélie as someone who can command undead spirits, even though the maji have lost the abilities that once defined them. King Saran, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, calls magic a “festering disease” and orders it purged, while his son questions whether he wants to become the kind of ruler his father expects. Zélie later hears, “You can bring magic back,” as the footage moves through fights, ceremonies, creatures, and various roles of Orïsha. Zélie does not take on the king alone. Tosin Cole plays her brother Tzain, while Amandla Stenberg appears as Princess Amari, and Damson Idris plays Prince Inan.
Paramount’s synopsis says Zélie and Tzain form an alliance with his daughter and son as they fight against his rule. The trailer closes with Zélie being told, “They were waiting for you,” positioning her at the center of the effort to restore magic. The supporting cast includes Regina King as Queen Nehanda, alongside Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Zackary Momoh, and Richard Mofe-Damijo. The trailer shows several of those performers without revealing the full part each character will play in Zélie’s journey. Their appearances are intercut with scenes of the maji being hunted and Zélie preparing to lead those fighting back. The footage keeps its focus on the struggle over magic rather than explaining every alliance in the story.
Gina Prince-Bythewood directs the movie, which is based on Tomi Adeyemi’s 2018 novel of the same name. The project reunites the filmmaker with Mbedu, Davis, and Lynch after their work together on ‘The Woman King.’ Mbedu said in a featurette released ahead of the trailer, “I’m super excited being part of something as big as this.” Prince-Bythewood said the filmmakers wanted “the whole diaspora to be a part of this” and described the movie as “so big and beautiful.” ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ is the first book in Adeyemi’s ‘Legacy of Orïsha’ trilogy. It was followed by ‘Children of Virtue and Vengeance’ in 2019 and ‘Children of Anguish and Anarchy’ in 2024. The trilogy has sold more than three million copies worldwide, giving the adaptation an existing readership before its release.
