The Book of Eli prequel series from the film’s creative team starring John Boyega hits the open market

Last Updated on January 26, 2024

John Boyega (They Cloned Tyrone, Attack the Block) wants to discuss the good book with you. Which book am I talking about? The Book of Eli, of course! Whispers around the watercooler imply that Boyega is prepping a prequel series based on 2010’s The Book of Eli. According to Deadline, Boyega will play a younger version of Eli, the character played by Denzel Washington in the Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes-directed film. Adding authenticity to the project is The Book of Eli writer Gary Whitta, who will create/write/executive produce the upcoming prequel series. The Book of Eli prequel series comes from Alcon Entertainment. They’ll bring the show to market to land a premium streaming venue.

In The Book of Eli, a drifter fights across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation. The story takes place 30 years after a nuclear catastrophe resulting in an ecocide. Details about the TV series remain a mystery, though whispers indicate the show could take place 30 years before the movie’s events.

Mila Kunis (The Spy Who Dumped Me, Black Swan), Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Darkest Hour, The Dark Knight), Ray Stevenson (Thor, Kill the Irishman, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant), Michael Gambon (Gosford Park, Cordelia, Little Women), and Tom Waits (Mystery Men, Seven Psychopaths) star alongside Washington in the 2010 film. The Book of Eli earned $157.1 million worldwide against an $80 million budget.

John Boyega, who is selective about acting projects, recently starred in 2022’s The Woman King alongside Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, and Thuso Mbedu. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Woman King presents a historical epic inspired by actual events in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. Boyega also stars in Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone, a quirky sci-fi comedy about an unlikely trio discovering a nefarious government conspiracy.

Are you a fan of The Book of Eli? Is Boyega a solid pick to play a young Denzel Washington? Which streaming service do you think will scoop this project up? Let us know in the comments section below.