We have some not too happy news. The series adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s bestselling novel Americanah has been put on hold.
Variety reports that HBO cancelled the project after Oscar-winning actress and star cast Lupita Nyong’o was forced to drop out as a result of scheduling conflict.
With Nyong’o starring and also serving as co-executive producer on the show, her exit makes it impossible to continue production.
Nyong’s has always been at the center of the project. She acquired the rights for the novel in 2014, a year after it’s publication, and has since then worked towards bringing it to the big screen.
The project had previously undergone a series of changes. The choice of lead actor for the character of Obinze went from David Oyelowo to Zachary Momoh. The project was initially supposed to be a feature length film but later changed to a 10-pilot series featuring Black Panther co-star Danai Gurira as writer and show-runner.
This news is particularly disheartening as it comes months after fans delighted at seeing Adichie host Nyongo in Lagos during her visit to Nigeria to prepare her for the role of Ifemelu.
For fans of Nyongo and Americanah, this development is indeed distressing. We hope the books gets picked up by a new streaming service soon enough.
David Dan October 28, 2020 15:37
That's how hollywood works. It's not like nollywood. Projects can be in development for decades before they are eventually made. If it were a feature length movie it would since have been made