'children Of Blood And Bone' Author Hints At Traumatic On-set Ordeal. Fans Have Questions

On nan heels of nan trailer uncover for nan big-screen adaption of “Children of Blood and Bone,” nan book’s writer is claiming successful a caller video that an on-set ordeal traumatized her — and fans person been near pinch much questions than answers.

On Wednesday, Tomi Adeyemi upped nan ante erstwhile discussing nan ongoing behind-the-scenes play that’s overshadowed nan caller film. Although nan author, successful her latest video connected nan falling-out, hinted astatine a achy ordeal that unfolded connected set, fans are still scratching their heads arsenic to what precisely happened and who was involved.

“I’m gonna station this truthful ideally I won’t person to talk astir this anymore,” she said successful a five-minute, 40-second video posted to societal media. “And what I’m astir to stock is not a concealed to nan group involved. It’s a reality that I’ve had to unrecorded pinch for astir a twelvemonth and a half, and everyone involved, astatine slightest astatine nan highest level, has been made alert of this reality, and they haven’t done thing to make it better. If anything, they’ve only antagonized me, and I judge that, but I besides judge if I don’t opportunity something, I deliberation it’s conscionable going to beryllium worse.

“I’m not gonna speak connected what I endured to make it done nan young big trilogy, and I’m not going to speak astir everything that I besides suffered done to make nan adjustment a reality,” she continued. “I’m really only going to speak astir what happened aft I near that group of my ain movie adaptation, hyperventilating and sobbing, and location are galore witnesses, truthful it’s not really a secret.”

The writer continued that, erstwhile she returned to America from an overseas filming location, she suffered “such terrible somatic symptom and truthful galore panic attacks” that she knew she would ne'er beryllium capable to watch nan film.

“But arsenic it is being marketed, and arsenic I americium still being antagonized down nan scenes, which is wherever I hoped each of this would stay, it’s go evident to maine that reality needs to astatine slightest beryllium made known truthful that you guys tin understand really this movie — which I worked connected to make it a small amended for america to beryllium live — is besides nan worst point I person ever had to unrecorded through, and I don’t wish to speak connected it anymore.”

Adeyemi concluded that she ne'er wants to perceive astir nan movie adaption again, and past she seemingly threw shadiness astatine head Gina Prince-Bythewood, whom she co-wrote nan screenplay with, saying, “I don’t person thing to opportunity astir nan group who made it. I do not attraction anymore. I’m trying to move on. This video mightiness make it worse, but I don’t cognize really it tin beryllium immoderate worse.”

Representatives for Prince-Bythewood and Paramount Pictures did not instantly respond to The Times’ petition for comment.

Earlier this month, nan Nigerian American writer posted a since-deleted video connected TikTok that besides near her followers puzzled successful which she said location was a logic she stopped promoting nan forthcoming film. Although she didn’t spell retired nan reason, she posted a surface changeable of a February 2025 matter speech pinch 1 of nan film’s stars, Amandla Stenberg, successful which she told nan character not to usage her sanction successful interviews and past blocked her.

Stenberg, who is African American and Danish, had been astatine nan halfway of a casting contention owed to claims that colorism was astatine play erstwhile she landed nan domiciled of Princess Amari. (Read much astir nan contention here.)

On Monday, Paramount held a “Children of Blood and Bone” trailer motorboat event astatine nan Brooklyn Academy of Music successful New York City. In a chat moderated by “Master of None” character Lena Waithe, Prince-Bythewood and nan A-list formed talked astir nan making and almost-not-making of nan film, and Prince-Bythewood seemed to uncover her stance connected nan fallout complete Stenberg’s casting.

The head said her big-screen adjustment was “beautifully inspired by Nigeria and besides inclusive of nan full diaspora. We wanted each of america to beryllium capable to spot ourselves wrong this, conscionable our complete and utter humanity, each nan beautiful hues.”

In nan comments conception nether Adeyemi’s Wednesday video, disappointment fans asked nan writer to beryllium much transparent while others suggested possibly a non-disclosure statement was hindering her expertise to connection immoderate specifics connected nan incident.

“Children of Blood and Bone” is slated to deed theaters Jan. 15.