BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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A TV series adaptation of Chinua Achebe‘s iconic novel Things Fall Apart is currently in development, with Idris Elba set to both star as the protagonist, Okonkwo, and serve as executive producer.
The project is being produced by A24, alongside Elba’s production company, 22Summers, and David Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon banner. Ben Forkner, Dayo Ogunyemi and Achebe Masterworks also serve as executive producers. The series will bring to life the story of Okonkwo, a powerful African leader whose world is upended by the arrival of British colonizers, reflecting the novel’s deep themes of tradition, resistance, and change.
Cover of the first edition of “Things Fall Apart”
“Things Fall Apart” is regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written. It has been translated into over 59 languages and won awards like the Nigerian National Merit Award and the Man Booker International Prize. It is the first book of Achebe’s African Trilogy, followed by “No Longer at Ease” and “Arrow of God.”
It has previously been adapted as a film (1971) and was directed by the now-late German director Hans Jurgen Pohland. The movie starred the likes of Elizabeth of Toro, Nigeria’s first international film star Orlando Martins, and Johnny Sekka. And miniseries (1987), with Pete Edochie starring as Okonkwo in the miniseries.
Photographed by Stephen Goldblatt.
The 1987 miniseries cover.
While no streaming platform or writer has been confirmed yet, the adaptation is highly anticipated, especially given Elba’s prominent role. This will mark a significant moment in bringing Achebe’s work to a global audience once again.
