Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Twice Refused 'Children of Blood and Bone' Before Signing On

The director of 'Children of Blood and Bone' revealed she rejected the African fantasy adaptation twice before agreeing to make it.

The official trailer for 'Children of Blood and Bone,' an adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi's bestselling African fantasy novel, has launched online — and the film's director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, has disclosed she turned the project down twice before ultimately taking it on. The sources do not detail the specific reasons she gave for those initial refusals or what ultimately changed her mind, though the disclosure has drawn attention alongside the trailer's release. 'Children of Blood and Bone,' published in 2018, became a major hit and was praised for its West African-inspired world-building and themes of oppression and identity. Prince-Bythewood is known for directing 'The Old Guard' and 'Love & Basketball.'

Why it matters

High-profile adaptations of fantasy novels with diverse casts and cultural roots attract significant audience and industry attention; a director's commitment and creative buy-in can shape whether such projects succeed or stall.

Key facts

• The official trailer for 'Children of Blood and Bone' has been released online
• Director Gina Prince-Bythewood turned down the project twice before agreeing to direct
• The film is based on Tomi Adeyemi's 2018 African fantasy novel of the same name
• Prince-Bythewood previously directed 'The Old Guard' and 'Love & Basketball'

Bias & framing notes

Both sources appear to run the same wire-service text and provide minimal detail — neither explains Prince-Bythewood's stated reasons for initially refusing the project, leaving a significant gap in the story. The limited reporting prevents full verification of key claims.

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