Latest news with #LionForgeEntertainment
Geek Girl Authority
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
SDCC 2025: IYANU: THE AGE OF WONDERS Gets Premiere Date and Teaser Trailer
Highlights SDCC 2025 blessed us with a sneak peek at the next evolution of the Cartoon Network and HBO Max hit Iyanu . Iyanu The first of two films, titled Iyanu: The Age of Wonders , now has a teaser trailer. You can watch it below. Iyanu: The Age of Wonders The animated feature premieres next month. Iyanu: The Age of Wonders Before the Child of Wonders came the Age of Wonders. For Sunday's SDCC 2025 panel, 'Iyanu's Journey: The Next Chapter,' Cartoon Network, HBO Max and Lion Forge Entertainment unveiled the next phase of their mega-hit children's animated series, Iyanu . So, what can we expect? For starters, two animated feature films, the first of which is titled Iyanu: The Age of Wonders . RELATED: Catch up with our SDCC 2025 coverage About the Film Here's a synopsis of the movie: 'Set 500 years before the rise of Iyanu, The Age of Wonders transports viewers to Yorubaland at the height of its magical civilization. When Meje — the embodiment of the seven deadly sins — emerges, young warriors Dara and Ishe must stop the coming Age of Darkness. Their only hope lies with the Divine Ones, legendary beings who once walked the earth and upheld the balance between light and shadow.' The Cast and Crew Iyanu: The Age of Wonders stars an all-African voice cast: Shaffy Bello as Emi – The One Mother, Babajide Oyekunle as Joba – The First Father, Ike Ononye as Ishe, Sisan Victor-Woko as Dara, Serah Johnson as Iyanu, Okey Jude as Biyi, Samuel Kugbiyi as Toye and Adesua Etomi-Wellington as Olori. Brandon Easton (series story editor) co-writes the film with Roye Okupe. Okupe serves as the franchise creator and showrunner. He was also at the helm for episode nine, 'The Source Part 1.' Okupe adapts the show and films from his graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder , published by YouNeek Studios and Dark Horse Comics. RELATED: SDCC 2025: Prime Video Sets Premiere Date for Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Iyanu Season 2 The panel also shared the logline for Season 2, which 'finds Iyanu facing a powerful new enemy as tensions rise across Yorubaland. With ancient magic reawakening, the fight for balance has only just begun.' Iyanu: The Age of Wonders premieres on Saturday, August 30, 2025, on Cartoon Network and will be available to stream on HBO Max the next day. Iyanu Season 2 will debut sometime in 2026 on the same platforms. In the meantime, watch Iyanu Season 1 on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. on Cartoon Network. Before you go, check out the movie's teaser trailer below: SDCC 2025: Keith David to Star in New Series Set in RICK AND MORTY Universe Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
NBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
George R.R. Martin vents about fans who say he'll 'never finish' next 'Game of Thrones' book
Winter is coming very, very slowly for fans of "A Song of Ice and Fire." George R. R. Martin, author of the fantasy novel series that led to HBO's wildly popular "Game of Thrones" television series, voiced his frustration this week about readers who think that the sixth book, "The Winds of Winter," will not be completed. In a post on his official blog on Wednesday, Martin was originally announcing his involvement with an animated project unrelated to his hit fantasy franchise. But he then took a moment to address the skeptical fans of "A Song of Ice and Fire." "I know, I know," Martin wrote. "Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or THE WINDS OF WINTER. You have given up on me, or on the book." "I will never finish WINDS," Martin wrote."If I do, I will never finish A DREAM OF SPRING," referring to what would have been the series' seventh book. "If I do, it won't be any good," he wrote, seemingly repeating accusations from critics. "I ought to get some other writer to pinch hit for me… I am going to die soon anyway, because I am so old. I lost all interest in A Song of Ice and Fire decades ago. I don't give a s--- about writing any longer, I just sit around and spend my money." Although he didn't say when or if he would finish the next books in the series, he explained he does still care about the franchise and its characters. "The Starks and Lannisters and Targaryens, Tyrion and Asha, Dany and Daenerys, the dragons and the direwolves, I care about them all," Martin wrote. "More than you can ever imagine." But he said he also has a passion for the rest of his work that he believes his fans "don't care about." Martin mentioned a few short stories he wrote long before "A Game of Thrones," such as "A Song for Lya" and "This Tower of Ashes," in addition to compilations of short stories that he edited more recently, like the 2013 cross-genre anthology "Dangerous Women." Martin said recently he signed on with Lion Forge Entertainment to adapt the late Howard Waldrop's 1989 novella "A Dozen Tough Jobs" — his take on the Twelve Labors of Hercules — into an animated feature, news the author credited The Hollywood Reporter with breaking on May 21. "It saddens me that he did not live long enough to see the film; I hope we do him justice," Martin wrote.
NBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
George R.R. Martin says he will 'never finish' next book in 'Game of Thrones' series
Winter is probably no longer coming for "A Song of Ice and Fire" series fans. George R. R. Martin, author of the fantasy novel series that led to the wildly popular "Game of Thrones" television series, wrote on his blog Wednesday that the sixth book, "The Winds of Winter," will likely not be completed. "I will never finish WINDS," Martin wrote."If I do, I will never finish A DREAM OF SPRING," referring to what would have been the series' seventh book. Martin said he "lost all interest" in the series that has been out on shelves since 1996 with the its first installment, "A Game of Thrones." He explained that while he does care about the unfinished sixth novel and the franchise's characters, he also has a passion for the rest of his work that he believes his fans "don't care about." Martin called out a few short stories he wrote long before "A Game of Thrones," such as "A Song for Lya" and "This Tower of Ashes," in addition to compilations of short stories that he edited more recently, like the 2013 cross-genre anthology "Dangerous Women." The 77-year-old author cynically wrote he is 'going to die soon anyway' and does not 'give a s--- about writing any longer.' Martin recently signed on with Lion Forge Entertainment to adapt Howard Waldrop's 1989 novella "A Dozen Tough Jobs" — his take on the Twelve Labors of Hercules — into an animated feature, news the author credited The Hollywood Reporter with breaking on May 21. "Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or THE WINDS OF WINTER," the author wrote when announcing the screen adaptation of his late friend's work. "It saddens me that he did not live long enough to see the film; I hope we do him justice," Martin wrote.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Iyanu' Creator Roye Okupe & Creative Team On 'Weaving The Emotional Journey' With Cultural Authenticity & Empathy
Animation has always been one of the best mediums for storytellers to reach young audiences, especially for a young Roye Okupe who says it was his 'first love'. After creating a successful graphic novel series, and a meeting with Lion Forge Entertainment facilitated by Impact X Capital's Erica Dupuis, Okupe managed to make his dream of creating an animated series come true. Based on Okupe's graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder, the Cartoon Network series follows Iyanu, an orphaned teenager living on the outskirts of civilization who discovers she has divine powers and a destiny to save the ancient kingdom of Yorubaland. Okupe's dream was to infuse the culture he grew up with into the series, along with the help of some veterans of the animation industry – story editor Brandon Easton, writer Kerri Grant and supervising director Vincent Edwards. More from Deadline How Independent Animation Underdogs Like 'Flow' And 'Memoir Of A Snail' Are Disrupting The Awards Race: There's "Never Been A Better Time" 'The Last Of Us': Neil Druckmann On Directing Pivotal Joel & Ellie Flashbacks That Pinpoint "Where The Relationship Explodes" 'Found' Star Shanola Hampton Unpacks Season 2 Finale Rollercoaster That Leaves Gabi & Sir In Jeopardy Although the first season has yet to have its finale, the series has already been renewed for a 10-episode second season as well as two feature-length films. The first animated film, The Age of Wonders, is set to release later this year. The season finale on Cartoon Network is on May 24th, and will be available to stream on Max the following day. DEADLINE: Roye, what made you want to bring your graphic novel into the animated space? ROYE OKUPE: I've always been a fan of animation since I was a kid. For me, animation was my first love, and I think it has obviously stayed that way. I grew up watching Ninja Turtles, Batman, X-Men… I can literally go on for hours and hours. I moved to the U.S. in 2002, and the closer I got to Hollywood, the more I felt the desire to create an animated show that was based on some of the things that I learned growing up about my history and my culture. I started off in the graphic novel because it was a lower barrier to entry, and then fell in love with the graphic novel medium. But for me, the motivation has always been to showcase Africans, specifically in this case, with the young Nigerian culture to a global audience. And I think there's no better medium than animation to do it. There's something that Brandon always says, and ever since he told me this in the writer's room, I've always held onto it. 'The more specific you get, the more global and the more broadly acceptable your story becomes.' So, from day one, we wanted to lean into what made this show special culturally. For me, as someone who is a Yoruba person, it was the ultimate privilege. It was also a very, very delicate task to balance imputing culture into a story without, as Vincent would say, 'making people drink through a water hose' where they're just overwhelmed with so much new information. Finding the right balance of story comes first, but at the same time, let's not shy away from what makes this different, what makes this beautiful, what makes this authentic. I'm extremely proud of this because, as specific as we get with the culture, it's never done in a way where it excludes anybody who doesn't know anything about Yoruba culture or Nigerian culture. DEADLINE: Kerri, Vincent and Brandon, as three people who have worked on different animated series, how do you go about making sure you're infusing this culture without singling it out? KERRI GRANT: I think what Roye said earlier, we all kind of learn as writers really early on. That whole thing about the more specific you are, the more universal the story is… the reason for that is these are just kids. They're kids on a journey, on an epic coming-of-age journey that includes some pretty amazing fantasy and supernatural elements. But at the core of it, it's about telling this coming-of-age, fantasy, adventure, epic tale. That in itself as a foundation, makes it appealing and universal for anyone who loves good stories. I think what's different and cool about Iyanu is a lot of people aren't as familiar with Yoruba culture and the cultures within it, so it's exciting that people get to know these specifics about the culture, even the details from the costumes, the clothes they wear, the food they eat, the differences in the parts of the land that they travel to and encounter… But ultimately, at the heart of it, it's about this girl who's coming into her powers, and it's a classic hero's journey. BRANDON EASTON: What made it a lot easier also was that Roye was in the writer's room with us, as a writer and a producer. Every step of the way, if there was a question, he was there to answer it or to make it make more sense for us in a storytelling context. But most importantly, the doorway is always emotional accessibility with these types of stories. It doesn't matter whether you're talking about ancient fantasy Nigeria or you're talking about Iraqis or you're talking about things that don't exist, there is an emotional path that we all love as consumers of story content. We all want to walk the same emotional path, and I feel like Iyanu's is, 'Who am I? Why am I here?' I've never spent time in Nigeria, but there's things that are kind of universal that we can tap into, and Iyanu's journey is a very, very relatable one. VINCENT EDWARDS: And to speak to the cultural authenticity aspect of it, in any story universe, you have to have a clearly realized vision of what that world looks like and what the people in it look and sound like. If you break your own rules, the audience disconnects because they don't feel like it's authentic to what you're trying to say you're doing. In terms of Iyanu, the cultural authenticity aspect of it was really granular and consistent throughout the production of the show. The look of food, the look of clothing, the look of props… all the different visual styles, even though it's a mythological fantasized world, it has to still feel like it's real and authentic to the point where if a bowl of rice doesn't look like what it's supposed to look like, Roye's like, 'Hey, that doesn't work.' This would be analogous to if we made a show about America and we had a hamburger with a purple bun. We would be like… What? So, all that stuff really combines to create an authentically realized world that supports all of the more thematic and character driven elements of the story. DEADLINE: It's obviously a different culture, but this series reminds me of being exposed to a new culture as a kid when I first watched , and I think would have had a similar effect on me back then. OKUPE: I always tell people, you have no idea how much influence entertainment has over the minds of children and adults. Actually, I think we're in an age where there's information all around us and everything is all mangled up, but when it comes entertainment… It's funny you mentioned Avatar, because I fell in love with New York by watching Spider-Man. So eventually when I came to the U.S. and I was able to experience it, it was a different kind of emotion because I've been so far away from it. And when I finally got here, it was this visceral feeling where it's like, 'Oh, wow, I'm actually in the same place as Peter Parker,' even though he is a fictional character. It goes back to the roots and the inspiration behind all this, to try to show what I saw growing up, what I heard about, what I ate, and some of the things I went through. Obviously, like Brandon said, it's also weaving the emotional journey for each of these characters because, as much as we love the authentic parts of this story, it's icing on the cake to me. If you lose people with the character moments, all the other stuff becomes a flaw. But I think one of the big things we try to do with this show, one of the big themes, is empathy. And it was very important to intertwine empathy with everything that has to do with Iyanu. Her powers, her mission, her story, her journey… all of that is encompassed around empathy. Because I think we live in a time now where we as human beings could use a lot more of that. And it's important for children from a very young age to understand the power of empathy, even though it's a very difficult emotion to express. Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
With ‘Iyanu,' Lion Forge Continues Breaking Barriers In Animation
The animated fantasy-adventure series Iyanu, which debuted on Cartoon Network and MAX April 5, is part of a new wave of kid-friendly content coming from Africa. Along with Garbage Boy and Trash Can, which arrived in 2023, Disney's afrofuturist anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023) and Super Team 4, which ran two seasons on Netflix in 2023, Iyanu taps the culture and aesthetic of African cultures and showcases the rising generation of talent emerging from the continent. Roye Okupe, creator of Iyanu Cameron White, Courtesy of Lion Forge Entertainment The series follows a teenage orphan girl Iyanu (Serah Johnson), from the mythical west African kingdom Yorubaland, who discovers she has magical powers and a destiny. She and her friends Biyi (Okey Jude) and Toye (Samuel Kukbiyi) embark on a journey of discovery that promises to bring them into conflict with an evil conspiracy inside their kingdom. The show is based on a series of graphic novels by Roye Okupe and Godwin Akpan published by Dark Horse Comics. Okupe is showrunner on the animated series, produced by Lion Forge Entertainment. Akpan is art director and designed the characters for the show based on his original concepts from the comics. 'I saw this project 10 years ago when Roye was doing the comics,' said David Steward II, founder and president of Polarity Studios, the parent company of Lion Forge Entertainment, in an exclusive interview in mid-April. 'We stayed in contact and, when they were looking to develop the project, they came to us and it definitely fit in with what we were trying to do.' Steward says he launched Lion Forge Entertainment to 'bring something different and authentic to the landscape from a diversity standpoint' as one of the leading Black-owned entertainment studios in the United States. The company's first production, Hair Love, directed by Matthew A. Cherry (Song Pictures Animation) won an Academy Award for best Animated Short in 2020, and Lion Forge has gone on to form relationships with Paramount/Nickelodeon, Disney, HBO Max and PBS. Though Lion Forge is exploring live action productions as well, Steward says animation 'always has my heart.' 'To have a project like Iyanu, based on African mythology, gets us into something we haven't really explored, which is a truly global context,' said Steward. 'There's some importance to showing the value of stories coming from Africa, for Roye showcasing elements of his Nigerian and European background. He created this story for his daughter, and he wanted to give her a chance to see herself onscreen.' Steward says the company reached out to work with Nigerian talent throughout the production, including the cast of voice actors. 'Authentici ty is imbued in what we do, not just from a creative standpoint, but also from a representation standpoint. It's definitely a core to our strategy.' While many voices in America's current politics and culture are trying to turn back the clock on diversity, Steward rejects the notion that these kinds of projects are divisive. 'Diversity is not being exclusionary,' he said. 'The key is to be all-encompassing. It's important to create diverse content, but not just for the people we are representing in the content. Iyanu is not just for Africans or African-Americans. Everyone can enjoy a fun action-adventure story and learn something about another culture. Looking at it from that lens, it's always going to be needed in society.' The show has not been out for very long and has not yet had much audience reaction, but the lively, high-energy episodes and colorful look of the series seems bound to appeal to young viewers. In a world where borders are going up and minds seem to be closing to new perspectives, sometimes the most important thing we can do is tell our stories to the world, and to see ourselves in stories told by others.
