Today at New York Comic Con, Cartoon Network, Max and Lion Forge Entertainment, a leading Black-owned animation studio in North America, released the first feature trailer for the highly-anticipated series Iyanu. In this trailer, viewers are treated to a breathtaking introduction to the series’ captivating story based on Nigerian culture and mythology.
The scene opens in a lush, vibrant landscape, where the main characters, Iyanu and Biyi, find themselves in a heart-pounding moment of peril when tranquility is shattered by the thunderous charge of a wild rhino, a powerful symbol of nature’s raw force. Then, in a stunning display of courage and intuition, Iyanu channels the ancestral wisdom of her heritage, stopping the rhino in its tracks and unveiling her true nature as the chosen one.
The talented Nigerian voice cast is led by Serah Johnson as Iyanu and includes:
● Okey Jude as Biyi, Iyanu’s carefree adventurer friend
● Samuel Kugbiyi as Toye, Iyanu’s bookworm companion
● Adesua Etomi-Wellington as Olori
● Blossom Chukwujekwu as Kanfo, Toye’s father
● Stella Damasus as Sewa
● Shaffy Bello as Emi – The One Mother
● Ike Ononye as Elder Alapani
Iyanu will premiere in Spring 2025 on Cartoon Network and Max in the US, and will stream exclusively on Showmax across 44 African countries