Author Tomi Adeyemi has publicly condemned the upcoming Paramount film adaptation of her novel "Children of Blood and Bone," describing her experience making it as "the worst thing I have ever had to live through." In a five-minute video posted on Wednesday, the writer, who co-wrote the screenplay, said she had endured this "reality" for around 18 months, alleging that those responsible at the highest level were aware but had done nothing to improve matters, and had instead "antagonised" her further. The unusually candid outburst from a source author about her own franchise adaptation is notable given the film's trailer only launched this week, putting the production under a cloud just as its marketing campaign begins.

Adeyemi said she left the film set "hyperventilating and sobbing," later suffering severe physical pain and panic attacks upon returning to the US, and had made peace with never being able to watch the finished film. She said she is still being "antagonised behind the scenes" and felt compelled to speak out despite hoping the matter would remain private. The remarks follow an earlier, since-deleted TikTok video this month in which Adeyemi appeared to share a group chat including cast member Amandla Stenberg, telling her not to use her name in interviews or contact her again. Representatives for Adeyemi, Paramount and director Gina Prince-Bythewood had not responded to requests for comment at the time of writing.