By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Lion Forge Entertainment is on the hunt for licensing and retail partners at the 2025 Licensing Expo for its hit animated series Iyanu.
The new series promises to be a hot prospect for licensing, as it’s already putting up good numbers, and attracting positive reviews.
The highly anticipated series debuted April 5 on Cartoon Network and the following day on MAX, with early buzz comparing the show to the 2005 megahit series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which still enjoys a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Showmax will also be streaming the series starting in June across Africa, and ITVX bringing Iyanu to the UK and Ireland this summer. (See the official trailer HERE )
The series launch window fueled significant growth and engagement across social platforms, including a 690% increase in YouTube subscribers and over 50 million video views of content across all platforms over the past three months.
To continue building excitement among fans, the studio has also released You Are, the Iyanu theme song, performed by Afrobeats superstar Yemi Alade, and a music video on YouTube, which you can see at the link below, or HERE.
Early reviews have so far been universally positive. Temple Geek said, “Iyanu is for everybody and full of wonder,” adding the show’s “… vibrancy is infectious. This new animated series from Cartoon Network is a must watch.”
The Movie Blog called Iyanu, “A groundbreaking African fantasy adventure.”
“The Iyanu animated series isn’t just good—it’s essential,” Movie Blog enthused. “This series fills a void in modern animation, especially for audiences seeking diverse, layered, and culturally rich stories. Iyanu stands out with breathtaking visuals that do justice to the Nigerian culture despite having an anime influence akin to Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
Iyanu Produced by Oscar-Winning Studio Lion Forge
Certainly, there are a number of similarities, as both series draw from a rich cultural base—that being Asian in the case of Avatar, and African for Iyanu—and both involve young people discovering not only great powers, but heavy responsibilities.
In the case of Iyanu, the series is adapted from Roye Okupe’s graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder—published by YouNeek Studios and Dark Horse Comics (the powerhouse behind The Umbrella Academy and Hellboy) and is steeped in Nigerian, culture, music and mythology.
The title character Iyanu is a seemingly ordinary teenaged orphan who spends her days studying history and ancient arts in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland. She yearns for a normal life until a looming threat awakens her divine power, not seen since the legendary Age of Wonders.
Accompanied by newfound friends Biyi, Toye, and a magical leopard named Ekun, Iyanu embarks on a journey to uncover the evil lurking in Yorubaland, and unlocking her destiny along the way.
The series is produced by the Academy Award-winning studio Lion Forge Entertainment, one of the largest Black-owned entertainment studios, which took home the Oscar for their hit short animation “Hair Love.” The show’s executive producers include David Steward II, Stephanie Sperber, Kirsten Newlands and Matt Heath from Lion Forge Entertainment, Roye Okupe of YouNeek Studios, Erica Dupuis of Impact X Capital, Ryan Haidarian of Forefront Media Group and Doug Schwalbe of Superprod.
Okupe not only created the character and story in his graphic novel, but is also the Executive Producer, and Showrunner of Iyanu.
Iyanu to Launch With Three Strong Toy and Game Licensees
Lion Forge has already signed deals for toys and games for Iyanu with Kidazzle, Resurrection Games and Brown Toy Box, but the company says it is planning an aggressive and broad licensing program that will cover the globe.
“When selecting partners for Iyanu, we look for those who don’t simply treat the property as a project, but who truly embrace its essence and are genuinely excited to bring it to life,” said Amy Taylor Boyett, Head of Franchise Development, Marketing & Commerce at Lion Forge.
Taylor Boyett says the partnerships with Kidazzle, Resurrection Games and Brown Toy Box are excellent examples of the type of collaborations the Iyanu team is looking for.
“They have been a natural fit as we look to bring the Iyanu universe to life in a way that resonates with fans and families worldwide,” she said. “These companies each bring something unique to the table, creating interactive, educational, and imaginative experiences that extend far beyond the screen.”
Kidazzle is a new toy company, founded by industry veteran Steve Rosenthal, that’s producing a diverse range of toys, including dolls, action figures, and role play accessories, offering kids an interactive way to engage with the series and its characters through imaginative play. Rosenthal says he was thrilled to have Iyanu as the company’s first Master Toy partner.
“We were immediately impressed with the depth of Iyanu’s story and characters,” Rosenthal said. “The intricate relationships, combined with adventure and action, make it truly special. Its broad appeal was also a key factor. As a new company, we wanted to make a strong market debut, and Iyanu offers us that opportunity.”
Resurrection Games, a new partner announced in late January, is producing a range of tabletop and card games, allowing fans to dive deeper into the story and mythology while enjoying a dynamic, family-friendly experience.
“We aim to make games for fans where the character and story sits at the center of the design,” said Resurrection president Brian Zander. “It’s also not a coincidence that more than one of our projects feature young, black female protagonists.
“When a project creates an opportunity to elevate stories from creators with diverse backgrounds, RG recognizes how important it is for young families to have games with characters that represent and inspire them.”
For that reason, Zander said working on Iyanu with Lion Forge was a natural fit. “When we take on a project we always start with two questions: What is the story for the fan base? And is there a game there? With Iyanu both were evident right away.
“We could clearly see the strength of what Lion Forge was doing with the animation and their commitment to the message, and after some research there is a rich world to create gameplay from.”
Brown Toy Box has taken on the task of creating innovative STEAM kits and educational products that will introduce children to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) concepts through Iyanu’s culturally rich narrative. These kits, focusing on specific characters and themes like engineering and chemistry, make learning fun while reinforcing the series’ core values of curiosity, empowerment, and perseverance.
CEO Terri Bradley is so excited about the story-telling in Iyanu, that she describes the partnership as one of the most important moments for her company.
“This licensing deal is a pivotal moment for us,” Bradley said. “It not only expands our product line but also reinforces our commitment to celebrating diversity and cultural authenticity.
“More importantly, it allows us to marry educational play with STEAM principles—integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics into culturally rich, hands-on experiences that inspire learning and creativity in every child.”
Licensing Expo Comes At a Key Moment for Iyanu
This year’s Licensing Expo comes at a pivotal moment for Lion Forge and the Iyanu series. The series premiered on Cartoon Network on April 5, and the following day on MAX, with Showmax streaming the series starting June 13 across 44 African countries. ITVX will also bring Iyanu to the UK and Ireland this summer.
“We’re excited to be at Expo this year to introduce Iyanu to a wider audience within the toy and retail industries,” said Taylor Boyett. “This marks the first time we’ve been able to present the series to buyers now that it’s begun streaming. That gives us a great chance for us to find the right spaces for our amazing products to connect with audiences.”
Taylor Boyett promises partners will find Lion Forge is a partner that approaches licensing holistically, with a comprehensive and long-term vision.
“We don’t just create content; we carefully plan and build around properties that have strong potential for expansion across multiple verticals,” Taylor Boyett explained. “With Iyanu, we’ve spent a significant amount of time building the foundation for the series, engaging with audiences well before its launch and connecting with them across cultural touchpoints that resonate on a deeper level.
“This kind of groundwork is rare in the industry, and it’s a key reason why we’re so excited about its debut.”
Rosenthal says Lion Forge Entertainment’s approach to licensing has helped develop better toys and a deeper collaboration with Kidazzle.
“Lion Forge brings a fresh approach to the partnership between licensor and licensee,” Rosenthal said. “From the start, this has been a real collaboration, and we have had amazing access to the creators of Iyanu, which has been instrumental to our product plans and strategies as we develop our line.
“This also has given us rare insight to the behind-the-scenes creativity of the Iyanu team, and has allowed us to align the toys we will make with the core essence of the property.”
Taylor Boyett says the company is actively looking for additional Iyanu partners who share its passion for storytelling and brand building.
Licensees or retail partners interested in potential partnerships can reach out to Amy Taylor Boyett at this email: amy.taylorboyett@lionforge.com