According to news reaching the BMA platform, Warner Bros. Discovery has renewed the Nigerian animated series Iyanu by Roye Okupe for a second season and announced two spin-off films. Based on Okupe’s graphic novel, the show blends fantasy, heritage, and identity through the story of a young African heroine.
The series premiered in the United States on 25 April via Cartoon Network and HBO Max and is set for its African debut on Showmax on 13 June. It follows the journey of a teenage girl who discovers ancient magical powers—dormant since the mythical “Age of Wonders.” Through richly rendered animation and lore rooted in Yoruba mythology, Iyanu seeks to reclaim narrative space.
Okupe, born and raised in Nigeria, describes the African release as a homecoming. “It’s a humbling honour,” he reflected, seeing the opportunity to bring a globally recognised series back to its land of inspiration. For him, Iyanu is an artistic achievement and a personal milestone.
While the show is steeped in Yoruba culture, it was always meant for a global audience. “We knew it could work globally,” Okupe said, pointing to Nigeria’s influence through Afrobeats and Nollywood. “I wanted to give our people a platform to showcase their brilliance—and the world responded.”
Translating the comic into animation involved new creative voices to enhance storytelling. “We stayed true to the pillars of the story but allowed the team space to innovate,” Okupe explained. Rather than rigidly following the original, creators embraced flexibility while maintaining cultural authenticity.
A defining choice was making the central character a young Black female superhero—drawn from Okupe’s inspiration by the women in his life. Watching cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Saturday mornings sparked his love for storytelling, but his purpose evolved—to tell stories from an unapologetically African perspective.
As Iyanu streams across Africa, Okupe hopes it brings pride, unity, and recognition of shared African values.
