- Created by Nigerian producer Roye Okupe, pioneering founder of YouNeek Studios
- Adapted from his graphic novel series by Dark Horse Comics (Hellboy, The Umbrella Academy)
- Produced by Lion Forge Entertainment (Oscar-winning short Hair Love)
- Launching on Cartoon Network, Max and now Showmax in 2025
- The all-Nigerian voice cast includes Serah Johnson as Iyanu, plus the likes of Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Stella Damasus, Shaffy Bello and Blossom Chukwujekwu
23 JULY 2024 – Lion Forge Entertainment announced today that Iyanu, Roye Okupe’s epic Nigerian superhero animated series, is set to launch in both the U.S. and across Africa in 2025. The series will be available on Showmax in 44 African countries, while U.S. viewers can 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.”
“It’s an exciting time for African animation, which is winning many of the world’s biggest prizes,” says Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment at MultiChoice, which owns Showmax with Comcast’s NBCUniversal. “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.
About Showmax
Showmax, launched in 2015 and available in more than 40 markets across the continent, is a leading African streaming service. It offers a unique combination of original African content, first and exclusive international series, popular movies, premium documentaries and the best kids’ shows, plus a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League.
About Lion Forge Entertainment
Lion Forge Entertainment (LFE), one of the only Black-owned animation studios of scale in North America, was founded in 2019 by David Steward II as a platform to amplify authentic, diverse voices in the animation and live action kids & family space. “Diverse Stories, Authentically Told” is the driving motto and mission behind the company.
Currently, LFE is producing and co-financing the highly anticipated animated series Iyanu, for Cartoon Network and Max. Iyanu is an adaptation of the graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder created by Roye Okupe and is an epic superhero steeped in Nigerian culture and mythology. Other LFE projects include producing the Academy Award-winning animated short Hair Love; Annie and Image Award-nominated Rise Up, Sing Out for Disney; Emmy-winning special The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special; Children’s & Family Emmy Award-nominated Rhymes Through Times” short series for Nickelodeon; and Emmy Award-winning short series Drawn In, in partnership with Nine PBS. LFE recently signed a first look deal with Nickelodeon for animation. The company also has a partnership with Penguin Young Readers (PYR) to develop animated and live action projects based on selected PYR best-selling books and a strategic alliance with Dentsu to develop projects for global partners and brands.
With a robust slate of live action and animated projects in development, LFE recently formed its own distribution entity to handle foreign sales for LFE and third-party projects, as well as an in-house franchise and consumer products division to build and maximize franchises.
LFE is one of the companies under parent Polarity, also owned by Steward. Polarity includes Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group, which publishes more than 60 original graphic novels each year and owns a deep library of IP. Polarity also owns Magnetic Press and Illustrated Syndicate. Polarity sits alongside the Steward Family holdings, which range from music to NASCAR to the NHL and beyond.
LFE is represented by Activist Artists Management.
About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics is an excellent example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and transform a company with humble beginnings into an industry giant. Over the years, Dark Horse has published the work of creative legends such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, Paul Chadwick, Geof Darrow, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Faith Erin Hicks, Kazuo Koike, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Kentaro Miura, Moebius, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, and Gerard Way. In addition, Dark Horse has a long tradition of establishing exciting new creative talent throughout all of its divisions. The company has also set the industry standard for quality licensed comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and art books, including Stranger Things, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Dragon Age, James Cameron’s Avatar, Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, StarCraft, The Witcher, and Halo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.
About YouNeek Studios
YouNeek Studios is an award-winning multiplatform entertainment company founded by Roye Okupe. Using graphic novels, animation, video games, and other forms of media, YouNeek focuses on telling extraordinary stories about extraordinary characters inspired by African history, culture, and mythology, with the ultimate goal of empowering African creatives and storytelling across the globe. Visit www.youneekstudios.com for more.
About Impact X Capital
Impact X Capital is a double bottom line VC, founded to support diverse and underrepresented talent in the digital and technology, media, and entertainment space. The studio’s aim is to increase diversity and inclusion through development of bold and distinctive storytelling from African diaspora creatives. Our content moves international audiences from appropriation to appreciation while giving agency to creators of colour. The founders include Sir Lenny Henry and Tony winning actor Adrian Leicester; author and TV presenter Eric Collins; and executive producer Erica Dupuis, a former HBO executive. www.impactxcapital.com