Oscar-winning studio Lion Forge Entertainment has revealed the premiere date for Iyanu: The War of Twin Princes, the second feature-length prequel movie in the Nigerian fantasy animated franchise Iyanu. The film will debut on Cartoon Network on July 11, 2026, and be available on HBO Max the following day. The announcement was made during the WonderCon 2026 panel “Iyanu Returns: An Exclusive Look at Season 2,” held today at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Buy Iyanu: Child of Wonder Volume 1“From the very beginning, Iyanu has been a testament to the power of authentic, culturally rich storytelling, and the global appetite for it,” said David Steward II, Founder and CEO of Lion Forge Entertainment. “The War of Twin Princes is the next chapter in a franchise we are incredibly proud of, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience it this summer.”
In the prosperous Yorubaland kingdom of Elu, revered ruler Oba Adedeji faces an impossible choice: selecting an heir between his twin sons. Prince Debo is bold and decisive, while Prince Laja is thoughtful and restrained. When the king refuses to choose, his indecision ignites a conflict with far-reaching political and spiritual consequences setting the stage for a war that will shape the future of the kingdom for generations.
Iyanu: The War of Twin Princes is a prequel to Iyanu season 2, the award-winning animated series, and features the return of both Iyanu (Serah Johnson) and her formidable antagonist Adura (Faith Gesiere-Agua). Twin princes Debo and Laja are both voiced by Femi Bakes. The film was an Official Selection at the 2026 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles this year.
“With The War of Twin Princes, we get to go deeper into the history of Yorubaland, including the origins of Queen Adura and the People of the Deep, and the events that set everything in motion for season 2,” said Roye Okupe, creator of the original graphic novel and executive producer and showrunner of Iyanu. “It’s a story about power, legacy, and the cost of indecision, and I can’t wait for fans to see how it all connects.”
Iyanu returned for its second season on Cartoon Network on March 21, 2026, with episodes available weekly on broadcast in the US and on streaming via HBO Max the following day. The new season brings fans back to the richly imagined world of Yorubaland as Iyanu faces her most formidable challenge yet — Adura, a powerful and cunning ruler of the People of the Deep whose fierce ambitions place her on a devastating collision course with the Chosen One and everything she fights to protect.
