Tomi Adeyemi has shared new details about her decision to distance herself from the upcoming Children of Blood and Bone film, revealing the experience of bringing her bestselling novel to the big screen left her emotionally devastated.

The Nigerian-American author described working on the adaptation as "the worst thing I have ever had to live through," adding that she "left set hyperventilating and sobbing." The comments come weeks after she announced she was officially separating herself from the project despite serving as a co-writer and executive producer. She has also confirmed she will not be attending the film's premiere or watching the finished movie.

Adeyemi first addressed the situation on social media after fans questioned why she had been largely absent from the film's promotional campaign. At the time, she said she had spent more than a year being "hurt and attacked behind the scenes,".

I wrote this for us. I fought for us. I'm just laying down my sword." she told supporters

 Although she stopped short of detailing exactly what happened, she said stepping away was the only decision she could make after trying everything to resolve the issues.

In her latest interview, Adeyemi suggested the ordeal is still affecting her today, saying she is "still being antagonized" and admitting she never wants to hear about the film again. The situation became even more public after Adeyemi shared screenshots of messages appearing to show a breakdown in her relationship with actress Amandla Stenberg, who plays Princess Amari in the film. 

In the messages, Adeyemi told the actress, "Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me."

 She did not publicly explain what led to the exchange, and Stenberg has not responded in detail to the messages.

The fallout has been particularly surprising given how closely Adeyemi was involved in the adaptation. Unlike many novelists who hand over creative control, she worked alongside director Gina Prince-Bythewood on the screenplay and remained attached as an executive producer throughout production, leading many readers to believe the film would closely reflect her original vision.

Despite distancing herself, Adeyemi has been clear that she is not encouraging fans to boycott the film. Instead, she has urged readers to continue supporting the Legacy of Orïsha book series, explaining that the novels remain the heart of the story she set out to tell.

For those unfamiliar with the author, Tomi Adeyemi burst onto the literary scene in 2018 with Children of Blood and Bone, a fantasy novel inspired by Yoruba mythology and West African culture. The story follows Zélie Adebola, a young woman determined to restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha after a tyrannical ruler wipes out the Maji, people born with magical abilities. Praised for its rich world-building and exploration of oppression, identity and resistance, the novel became an instant New York Times bestseller and launched the internationally successful Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.

The film adaptation, starring Thuso Mbedu, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Regina King, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch and Chiwetel Ejiofor, remains one of 2027's most anticipated releases. However, with its creator now publicly distancing herself from the project, the conversation surrounding Children of Blood and Bone has shifted from its star-studded cast to the difficult relationship that can sometimes emerge between authors and the adaptations of their work.

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