‘Iyanu’ Has Been Renewed for a Second Season

Per Variety, Iyanu has been a top-ranking series on Cartoon Network and is a top ten kids and family series on HBO Max since its premiere in April. The series, set in Yorubaland and heavily influenced by Yoruba mythology, will also make its way to Showmax in June. It features primarily a Nigerian voice cast, earning top points for authenticity, and its theme song by OkayAfrica cover starYemi Alade.

“We’re incredibly inspired by the response to ‘Iyanu’ and the connection it has made with audiences,” Lion Forge Entertainment’s CEO David Steward II said in a statement, adding that the second season renewal and approval of two feature films is “a testament to the power of meaningful storytelling.”

Season two will see Iyanu continue honing her powers amid another fierce conflict. The first of the two animated films, The Age of Wonders, is set 500 years before Iyanu. In it, Iyanu’s predecessors join forces with the Divine One to vanquish an embodiment of the seven deadly sins and fend off the Age of Darkness. No release date has been set for The Age of Wonders, but it is scheduled for later this year. The second film is currently in production and is scheduled for a 2026 release.

“This is a huge win for IYANU, Lion Forge Entertainment, and YouNeek Studios fans worldwide,” Okupe said. “The support for our show has been nothing short of humbling, and because of that incredible response, we now get to bring the next chapter of Iyanu’s story to life. I’m thrilled to continue expanding the world of Iran and the YouNeek YouNiverse, and to share this journey with audiences across the globe. This is just the beginning.”

On June 13, the entire first season will be on Showmax and available in 44 African countries. The show features an all-African voice cast, including veteran Nigerian actors like Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Shaffy Bello, Stella Damasus and Blossom Chukwujeku.

“Iyanu represents a major leap forward in our commitment to telling culturally rich stories that resonate with audiences around the globe, and we’re confident audiences will share in our excitement,” Lion Forge Entertainment CEO and Founder David Steward II said in a statement.

A new feature trailer has also been shared, giving viewers a glimpse into the series’ rich magical world and its compelling central character and conflict.

Last October, viewers got a first look at Iyanu. The scene in this sneak peek introduced us to the titular character, voiced by Serah Johnson, as she walks on ancestral land and takes in a history lesson from her friend Biyi (Okey Jude). Their moment of tranquility is upended when they are set upon by a wild rhino, who chases after them menacingly, until Iyanu stands her ground and channels the ancestral wisdom of her heritage, stopping the rhino in its tracks and unveiling her true nature as the chosen one.

This sneak peek premiered at the 2024 New York Comic Con. The series will stream on Cartoon Network and Max in the U.S., as well as on Showmax across 44 countries in Africa.

Speaking with OkayAfrica last year, Okupe said he hopes that the show, which is largely based on Yoruba culture, resonates with a global audience and makes Africans proud. “What’s most important to me is that Nigerians and Africans all over the world would see this show and they would have a smile on their face. They would see this show and it would be something that makes them proud to call themselves Nigerians, to call themselves Africans.”