Here’s a Sneak Peek of Anticipated Animated Series, ‘Iyanu’
The show is set to premiere on Cartoon Network, Max and Showmax in 2025.
Ahead of its release next spring, Cartoon Network and Max are offering viewers a first look at Iyanu, the animated series based on the graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, created by Roye Okupe’s Youneek Studios.
The scene in this first trailer introduces us to the titular character, voiced by Serah Johnson, as she walks on ancestral land and takes in a history lesson from her friend Biyi (Okey Jude). Their moment of tranquility is upended when they are set upon by a wild rhino, who chases after them menacingly, until Iyanu stands her ground and channels the ancestral wisdom of her heritage, stopping the rhino in its tracks and unveiling her true nature as the chosen one.
This sneak peek premiered at New York Comic Con over the weekend. The series will stream on Cartoon Network and Max in the U.S., as well as on Showmax across 44 countries in Africa.
Speaking with OkayAfrica earlier this year, Okupe said he hopes that the show, which is largely based on Yoruba culture, resonates with a global audience and makes Africans proud. “What’s most important to me is that Nigerians and Africans all over the world would see this show and they would have a smile on their face. They would see this show and it would be something that makes them proud to call themselves Nigerians, to call themselves Africans.”