As one of the only Black-owned animation studios of scale in North America, Lion Forge Entertainment is behind acclaimed projects like the Oscar-winning Hair Love and is now bringing the highly anticipated animated series IYANU to audiences worldwide.
IYANU is an epic superhero fantasy series based on Iyanu: Child of Wonder, the graphic novel series from Dark Horse Comics/YouNeek Studios, created by award-winning Nigerian writer Roye Okupe. Inspired by Yoruba culture, IYANU follows a young orphan who discovers she has divine powers that haven’t been seen since the Age of Wonders.
Together with her friends Biyi, Toye, and a magical leopard named Ekun, Iyanu must unlock her true destiny to save her people from an ancient evil. IYANU debuts this April 5th on Cartoon Network, Max on April 6th, 44 African Countries on Showmax on June 13th and Itv United Kingdom this Summer 2025!
At NY Toy Fair (March 1-4), Lion Forge Entertainment is unveiling exclusive collaborations for IYANU, with leading toy and game brands Brown Toy Box, Kidazzle, and Resurrection Games, bringing the world of IYANU to life through engaging and interactive products:
- Brown Toy Box (Booth #6129 | CEO: Terri-Nichelle Bradley) – A pioneering brand dedicated to creating educational toys and entertainment celebrating Black culture. Brown Toy Box is launching a new line of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) kits and educational play products inspired by IYANU, encouraging hands-on learning through storytelling.
- Kidazzle (Booth #4B01 – Southard Communications | Leadership: Steve Rosenthal, Don Robbins, Jeff Jones) – A toy company led by industry veterans specializing in innovative and diverse toy lines. Kidazzle is developing a range of IYANU-inspired plush, figures, playsets, and role-play items, allowing kids to bring the beloved characters and settings of the series to life.
- Resurrection Games (Scan QR Code | CEO: Brian Zander – A project-based publishing company specializing in tabletop collectible games. Resurrection Games is creating an immersive tabletop game collection inspired by IYANU, offering fans interactive experiences that explore the rich world of Yorubaland through board and card games.
