In a steep bidding war that included Netflix, Universal, and Amazon, Paramount Pictures won and has acquired the film rights for Children of Blood and Bone, the best-selling young adult novel trilogy by the award-winning Nigerian American writer, Tomi Adeyemi. 

Adeyemi will write both the script and serve as executive producer for the project.

“I’m going to be working with the incredible team @ParamountPics to bring zelies [sic] story to life because ya girl is now writing and executive producing the movie”, Adeyemi announced on Twitter. 

Hollywood’s breaking news magazine Deadline reported that Paramount’s final offer blew away the others as it included several incentives, including a seven-figure screenwriting guarantee, creative approvals for Adeyemi, and a promised theatrical release.

Co-President of Paramount Pictures Motion Group Daria Cercek said, “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 this story will resonate with a global audience.” 

Children of Blood and Bone, which pulls inspiration from Nigerian mythology, and is Adeyemi’s first novel, debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. Its sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, also debuted at No. 1.

The premiere date for the third and final book in the trilogy is yet to be announced.