Nigerian graphic novel turns into streaming series

Iyanu, Roye Okupe’s epic Nigerian superhero graphic novel, is set to launch as an animated series in the USA and across Africa in 2025. The series will be available on Showmax in 44 African countries, while US viewers will be able to watch it on Cartoon Network and Max. 

To save her people from an ancient curse, an orphan must uncover the mystery behind her newfound power. Set in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland, the animated series is adapted from Okupe’s popular graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, published by Dark Horse Comics, the powerhouse behind the likes of The Umbrella Academy and Hellboy comics. 

Award-winner Serah Johnson leads the all-African voice cast as Iyanu, alongside 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 Black Book, described by Wired as “Nigeria’s first runaway Netflix hit.” 

Iyanu is produced by Lion Forge Entertainment, the Emmy-winning company behind the Oscar-winning Hair Love.

“One of the reasons I started YouNeek Studios was because I literally grew up watching superhero stories on DStv in Lagos, Nigeria,” says Okupe. “So 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.”

Lion Forge Entertainment Founder and CEO David Steward II says: “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.”

Nomsa Philiso, CEO of general entertainment at MultiChoice, which owns Showmax with Comcast’s NBCUniversal, says: “As the largest producer of African content globally, MultiChoice is delighted that African stories are finally being told largely by Africans, but it’s also time for African audiences to be among the first to see African stories, as a common courtesy. 

“Even today, an Oscar winning film like Nowhere in Africa is available, well, nowhere in Africa. There are numerous examples like that but stories about Africa should be told not just with Africans, but to Africans too.”

Story editor Brandon Easton (Transformers: War for Cybertron; Marvel’s Agent Carter) headed the Iyanu writers’ room, which also featured Emmy winner Kerri Grant (Doc McStuffins; Ada Twist, Scientist). 

The show’s executive producers 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.