For decades, we’ve watched superheroes in awe and wrapped ourselves around the ones we could most identify with, even if they didn’t look like us. Though we now have superheroes that tie us directly to the mother continent of Africa, the connection is still filtered through Western culture and influences.
But something powerful is happening, a shift that calls for stories from Africa to be told without that filter, even in animation. Joining the ranks of Netflix’s Supa Team 4! and Disney’s Iwaju is Cartoon Network’s Iyanu, adapted from Roye Okupe’s acclaimed graphic novel. This series isn’t another animated adventure; it’s a groundbreaking moment for Nigerian storytelling in mainstream media.
BGN had the opportunity to interview Roye Okupe (creator and executive producer), Vincent Edwards (director), Brandon Easton and Kerri Grant (writers) and David Steward II (executive producer and studio head) via video chat. Their heartfelt insights gave us a glimpse into why this series is so powerful.
At what moment did you realize Iyanu was truly special?
Steward: It really hit a tone with me because it fit a lot of things I enjoyed growing up in the ’80s. We had strong characters, but with this, it’s someone that looks like me. That’s something I didn’t really have in the ’80s. Most of those main characters, you had to try to find your representation in them. This show has representation throughout, which is very exciting.
Okupe: One of the things that makes it even more special is that Iyanu is still for everybody. It’s a show that we’re creating for a global audience that’s authentic to Nigerian culture. It’s not always an easy needle to thread because you never want to lose what makes it special in terms of the culture. At the same time, you want to make sure that you’re telling a story that’s universal. We want everybody to feel and connect with all of our characters. It was very early on in the process of actually creating the character that I knew that this was going to be special.
What drew each of you to this project?
Grant: First, I learned about Iyanu and saw the graphic novel. It was a stunningly beautiful work of art. Secondly, I loved the main character. She’s a little girl learning who she is, coming into her powers as a reluctant hero. It’s a coming of age story, and I loved her for that. It also takes a zoomed out image that a lot of people have of Africa and really hones in on the detail of this big place where you can see so many different cultures happening.
Edwards: People talk about inclusion and authenticity, but I don’t see people walking that walk very well, very often. This series is so true to its cultural origins, but also it’s universally relevant. Iyanu’s story is Luke Skywalker’s story; it’s every hero’s journey but cast in this Yorubaland culture. That’s a very specific lens that’s really cool to execute and to bring to life. Having traveled the world, I’ve come to find there is no “them.” There’s only us on this marble in space. And the beautiful thing about diversity is that there are so many different flavors of the ways that we’re human. To be able to tell those flavors and live in that world in a way that’s universally relevant while also being culturally specific, that was the cool challenge.
Easton: I knew immediately Iyanu could click as a TV series and as a franchise. Those two don’t always sync up. It was a fantastic piece of work. After writing the pilot, I was stunned by how quickly I was able to shift it from a graphic novel to a script. That’s a testament to the original work — that it was so accessible, yet so specific. It really meant something to me, and I connected with it. The story flowed and the spirit flowed, so that’s what got me.
How did you approach telling this story in a way that remains authentic while also being accessible to a global audience?
Steward: It’s about the team that you bring together, and the voices that you have in the room. Where things fall flat a lot of times is not having the right voices in the room, and those voices also having enough power. It’s one thing to bring somebody to the table and try to get some cultural specificity, but if you’re not allowing them to speak and giving that power, it’s not going to come out in the final project. That’s why this project came out as well as it did, especially if you look at the translation from the graphic novel to the final animation.
Okupe: Dave, empowering us to be able to have the freedom to actually create without feeling the pressure gave us a sense of ownership on the project to actually create and have a vision and follow that vision. The second thing for me is collaboration. We had people working on this project from different parts of the world. It’s really allowing people to express themselves creatively, bring themselves to the table and add to the law of what Iyanu is. Everybody brings themselves into the project where it becomes global, and it’s not so specific that no one outside of Yoruba culture or Nigerian culture would understand. The third thing is ego. You have to leave your ego at the door. It’s not always easy, but it serves the project when everybody that’s on it is about what’s best for Iyanu.
What will Iyanu’s success mean for the future of Black storytelling in the industry?
Grant: I hope that the success of Iyanu will mean more original stories told by us. A lot of times we do the Black versions of things, and it’s a big pet peeve of mine. I want us to do our own thing. I want us to tell our own stories that aren’t necessarily based on something. I hope the door will be open for more of us to tell our original stories that are rooted in specific cultural things or rooted in whatever stories you want to tell.
Easton: I feel it’s going to energize younger viewers who may not have ever seen Brown people doing anything excellent in any any space. A couple of months ago, I showed clips at an elementary school, and I paid very close attention to which groups within the elementary school paid the most attention to it and reacted to it. Brown and Black children can see that and be inspired by it the same way I was inspired by Star Wars or Blade Runner back in the ’80s. Iyanu has that power to do that.
Edwards: We take these drawings and give them the illusion of being alive, and to a degree, they do become alive. So when you have a solid story of this kind that’s culturally authentic and that’s also universally relatable, that’s just the joy of what we do.
Iyanu will premiere on Cartoon Network, Saturday, April 5, 2025 @ 9:30 AM ET/PT, and the following day on Max. If you haven’t seen the trailer, watch it here!
