One of Disney’s first moves after acquiring Fox is a big one–they’re bringing Children of Blood and Bone to Lucasfilm.

Deadline reports that Kay Oyegun is working on a deal to write the screenplay for the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling fantasy book. Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy is working on making the adaptation Lucasfilm’s first film under Disney that isn’t from the Star Wars or Indiana Jones franchises.

The film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone was in the works with Fox 2000 with Rick Famiyuma to direct before the merger with Fox and Disney took place. Famiyuma is still on board as director and will co-write the script with Oyegun. Oyegun hails from This Is Us, where she is a writer and co-producer. Her feature-length spec script Assisted Living was recently picked up by Paramount Pictures after intense studio competition. She has also written episodes for OWN’s Queen Sugar.

When Fox first acquired Children of Blood and Bone, the novel hadn’t even been published yet, showing major confidence in Adeyemi and the work. Adeyemi’s seven-figure deal with Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the book was one of the biggest YA debut novel publishing deals ever.

Children of Blood and Bone is the first novel in a planned trilogy. Here’s the official description of the novel: Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

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Fox 2000 Acquires West African Fantasy Novel ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ in Blockbuster Deal

Photo: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Rick Famiyuma

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