Paramount Pictures has released the first teaser for Children of Blood and Bone, offering a glimpse at the ambitious fantasy epic that Kathleen Kennedy once intended to produce at Lucasfilm.
The behind-the-scenes featurette introduces the African-inspired kingdom of Orïsha, where magic was violently stripped from the maji people. Zélie, played by Thuso Mbedu, embarks on a dangerous journey to restore that magic and challenge the kingdom’s brutal rulers.
First teaser for ‘CHILDREN OF BLOOD & BONE’.
Starring Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Damson Idris, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Amandla Stenberg.
Trailer releases tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/sHCIwXvyGQ
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 27, 2026
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood describes the adaptation as “a love letter to Black people” and promises to transport audiences into a fantasy world unlike anything they have previously seen.
The cover of Children of Blood and Bone alongside Amandla Stenberg from The Acolyte – Henry Holt and Company; Disney+
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The footage reveals large practical sets, elaborate costumes, sprawling African locations, horseback battles, and an impressive ensemble cast. Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Tosin Cole, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Regina King, Idris Elba, and Viola Davis also appear.
Kathleen Kennedy’s Attempt to Expand Lucasfilm
Although the finished movie is being released by Paramount, Children of Blood and Bone was once a high-profile project at Kathleen Kennedy’s Lucasfilm.
The adaptation originated at Fox 2000 before Disney acquired most of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Following the merger, it reportedly caught Kennedy’s attention. Some believe the Lucasfilm president was searching for a signature project that could move the studio beyond properties created by George Lucas.
Kennedy publicly announced the adaptation during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation. Notably, this came less than a year after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker deeply divided fans and brought the sequel trilogy to an unsatisfying conclusion.
Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Lucasfilm
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Children of Blood and Bone offered Kennedy a potential fresh start. The novel had been praised for its detailed world-building and mythology while drawing comparisons to the enormously popular Hunger Games series. If successful, it could have changed the perception of Lucasfilm as little more than a Star Wars and Indiana Jones factory.
However, announcing an ambitious project and successfully delivering it are two very different things.
Author Tomi Adeyemi reportedly became frustrated with Lucasfilm’s slow development process and asked to write the screenplay. The studio declined before eventually allowing the rights to lapse.
Paramount acquired the property in 2022, guaranteed it an exclusive theatrical release, and gave Adeyemi the opportunity to write and executive produce. In other words, Paramount provided the assurances Lucasfilm either could not or would not offer.
Was Bob Chapek Really to Blame?
The project’s collapse occurred during Bob Chapek’s brief tenure as Disney CEO, making him an obvious target for blame. Chapek reportedly wanted each division within the company to maintain a distinct identity, while Lucasfilm developing a property unrelated to Star Wars or Indiana Jones did not necessarily align with that objective.
The studio was also under pressure to produce more programming—particularly Star Wars television shows—for the new Disney+ streaming service.
From Chapek’s perspective, focusing Lucasfilm on the valuable franchises it was purchased to manage was hardly unreasonable. Kennedy was already overseeing a growing list of announced movies and television shows, many of which would be delayed, reworked, or quietly abandoned.There is also no public evidence that Chapek personally ordered Lucasfilm to drop Children of Blood and Bone. The available record instead shows that the project languished under Kennedy until its author became frustrated and another studio offered a clearer path forward.
Another Missed Opportunity for Kathleen Kennedy?
The Paramount production has since encountered its own controversy. Adeyemi recently separated herself from the adaptation, saying that she has not watched the finished movie and does not intend to do so. She also claimed to have blocked star Amandla Stenberg after a falling out.
Those disputes may ultimately overshadow the film’s release.
Kathleen Kennedy – Getty Images for Disney
How closely the final product reflects Kennedy’s original vision may never be known. However, if Children of Blood and Bone succeeds, it may become another example of a promising project that Lucasfilm announced but failed to deliver under her leadership.
How do you think Children of Blood and Bone would have done under Kathleen Kennedy? Sound off and let us know!
