English actor Idris Elba and British-Nigerian actor David Oyewolo are in the works of screen adapting Things Fall Apart. The literature is the debut novel of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.  Spearheading the TV series development is A24 production studio based in Manhattan.

Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of Okonkwo, a leader of an Igbo community, from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his return, and it addresses a particular problem of emergent Africa—the intrusion in the 1890s of white missionaries and colonial government into tribal Igbo society. 

According to a report by Variety, Elba will executive produce along with Gina Carter under their recently launched 22 Summers production banner. While Oyelowo and Amanda N’Duka will executive produce via Yoruba Saxon.

The news of the adaptation as stirred up conversations and discuss online. A few fear the production credibility and portrayal of the story whilst being handled by a foreign team. Others defend that Elba and Oyelowo had the right to tell the story because it wasn’t an authentic African story.

1.
My hot take: Things Fall Apart is a more British book than a Nigerian one. The book even came out before Naija was independent.

I know it's a Nigerian name, an Igbo name, on the cover but as a product, that book is about as British as a pound sterling.https://t.co/6OpwWbOmR3

— Oris Aigbokhaevbolo (@Catchoris) September 28, 2024

Elba playing Okonkwo is only a reflection of our failure to tell our own stories.

If an Obi Emelonye decided to produce/direct Things Fall Apart and he selected Elba, maybe I'll tear shirt.

But we sit on our passes and expect 'outsiders' to do things that serve us.

Ekoshi.

— Yami Sukehiro🥷🔰 (@Crosseyednerd) September 28, 2024

The Emmy-nominated act, Elba, continues to have ties with Nigerian stories and talents. Earlier, in the year the actor was in Nigeria to direct a short film titled Dust to Dreams. The production was in collaboration with the CEO of Ebony Life Studio Mo Abudu and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Additionally, aside from his role as an executive producer in the upcoming adaptation, he will also take on an acting role.

Oyelowo and Yoruba Saxon most recently produced the Paramount+ series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, with Oyelowo also starring as Reeves. Yoruba Saxon is also producing the upcoming Apple TV+ series Government Cheese, in which Oyelowo will also star. In film, the company has produced features such as The After, The Water Man, A United Kingdom, and the documentary feature Ferguson Rising.