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Lion Forge Entertainment has unveiled plans to release the highly anticipated animated series ‘Iyanu,’ based on Roye Okupe’s celebrated graphic novel ‘Iyanu: Child of Wonder,’ in 2025.
The series will be available on Showmax across 44 African countries and will also air in the U.S. on Cartoon Network and Max.
Set in the mystical kingdom of Yorubaland, ‘Iyanu‘ follows the journey of an orphan who must unravel the secrets of her newfound powers to save her people from an ancient curse.
This adaptation from Okupe’s graphic novel, published by Dark Horse Comics, promises to bring a fresh and engaging narrative to screens worldwide. Dark Horse Comics is renowned for popular titles such as ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and ‘Hellboy.’
The series boasts an all-African voice cast led by award-winning actress Serah Johnson as Iyanu. Joining her are African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) winner and Vogue US cover star Adesua Etomi-Wellington, three-time AMAA nominee Stella Damasus, multi-award-winner Blossom Chukwujekwu, and Shaffy Bello from the acclaimed film ‘The Black Book.’
Produced by Lion Forge Entertainment, the Emmy-winning studio behind the Oscar®-winning short film ‘Hair Love,’ ‘Iyanu’ is set to captivate audiences with its rich cultural narrative and stunning animation.
Iyanu; A Pivotal Moment in African Storytelling
With its launch on Showmax and prominent U.S. networks, ‘Iyanu’ is set to become a significant milestone in African animation, offering a unique blend of cultural heritage and universal superhero appeal.
Roye Okupe, the creator of ‘Iyanu,’ expressed his excitement about the series’ upcoming launch on Showmax. “One of the reasons I started YouNeek Studios was because I literally grew up watching superhero stories on DStv in Lagos, Nigeria. It would be an understatement to say that I’m delighted that Showmax will be introducing Nigerian children to Iyanu, a superhero who looks and sounds like them,” Okupe said.
Lion Forge Entertainment Founder and CEO David Steward II emphasized the significance of ‘Iyanu’ for young audiences globally, highlighting its African roots. “Iyanu is a series that plays to young audiences everywhere in the world, but its heart and roots are in Africa, where it was conceptualised and created by Roye.
This is why we’re so proud to announce a deal with Showmax to stream Iyanu in 44 countries throughout Africa. We envision African children being inspired by Iyanu – and a superhero world shaped around their own.”
Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and Channels for West Africa at MultiChoice, expressed her enthusiasm for the series. “We are excited that African animation is gaining recognition and captivating audiences both locally and internationally. It’s a pivotal moment for African storytelling not only because we are telling our stories, but that African audiences will be among the first to see these stories come to life.
As the largest producers of African content globally, MultiChoice is proud to bring this remarkable story of Iyanu that weaves the magic of our Nigerian culture with great entertainment to our customers on Showmax across Africa.”
The series’ writers’ room was led by story editor Brandon Easton, known for his work on ‘Transformers: War for Cybertron’ and ‘Marvel’s Agent Carter.’ The team also included Emmy winner Kerri Grant of ‘Doc McStuffins’ and ‘Ada Twist, Scientist.’
Executive producers for the show are David Steward II and Matt Heath from Lion Forge Entertainment, Erica Dupuis of Impact X Capital, Ryan Haidarian of Forefront Media Group, and Doug Schwalbe of Superprod.
