From the Creator of Iyanu, the #1 Kids’ Show on Showmax in Africa, Comes ‘Malika: Warrior Queen’
Skwigly
Fresh off the global success of Iyanu — which debuted as the Showmax #1 kids show in Africa — creator and showrunner Roye Okupe is now expanding his Afro-Anime universe with his next major project: MALIKA: WARRIOR QUEEN, an anime-inspired feature film based on Okupe’s award-winning Dark Horse graphic novel, in collaboration with The Co-Production Company.
Set in a richly imagined 15th-century West African empire, Malika: Warrior Queen is an epic tale of power, family, and destiny—a story about a young queen’s rise from tragedy to legend as she unites a divided land under her rule. The film combines the emotional precision of anime with the soul and rhythm of African storytelling, blending breathtaking action, political intrigue, and a visual style inspired by the pulse of Afrobeats.
With this project, Okupe continues to build on the global Afro-Anime movement, redefining how African stories are told on the world stage.
Produced by Doug Schwalbe (The Co-Production Company) and multiple Emmy Award-winner Randy Dormans (Kung Fu Panda, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous), Malika: Warrior Queen brings together a powerhouse team of global talent. Award-winning Nigerian actress Adesua Etomi-Wellington (The Wedding Party) stars as the voice of Malika and serves as Executive Producer, alongside Impact X Studios’ Erica Motley and Roye Okupe via his YouNeek Studios banner.
“Malika: Warrior Queen is more than a film — it’s a mission: to show the world that African stories can stand shoulder to shoulder with the biggest franchises on the planet. Malika’s journey mirrors the creative fight so many of us face: the struggle to lead with strength while still holding onto empathy, to build something lasting while carrying the weight of our past. I want audiences around the world to feel Africa in every frame and to recognize that these are not just African stories. They’re human stories.” Said Okupe who is also set to write and direct.
Malika is part of the acclaimed YouNeek YouNiverse — a collection of African-inspired fantasy graphic novels rooted in history and mythology, published and distributed by Dark Horse Comics. In 2021, after five years of successful self-publishing, Roye Okupe signed a landmark 20-book deal with Dark Horse. Since 2016, more than 100,000 copies of Malika comics and graphic novels have been sold worldwide.
The film is currently in development, with Okupe now penning the screenplay and pre-production gearing up to begin soon.
Roye’s Youneek Youniverse of epic characters and stories is resonating globally. With the success of Iyanu on media platforms around the world and the incredible fan base support for the Malika graphic novels and short film, *Malika, Warrior Queen* promises to be a breakout hit.By teaming with Randy Dormans, we can bring TV economics to feature film production while delivering Royes’ unique storytelling through elevated traditional 2D animation.
Doug Schwalbe, Founder and President of The Co-Production Company
With Malika: Warrior Queen, Roye Okupe isn’t just making another animated film — he’s amplifying a movement. Building on the momentum of Iyanu, Malika embraces and propels the growing wave of Afro Anime — a bold cinematic movement that merges anime’s emotional precision and visual dynamism with the soul of African storytelling.
Malika represents the kind of hero we rarely see — a woman who leads, fights, and loves with equal power.Her story celebrates African history, but her struggle to claim her voice and define her destiny is universal.
Erica Motley of Impact X Studios
By placing an African heroine at the center of a universal, emotionally charged story, the feature reimagines what international animated films can be: not imitations of the West or East, but bold, original expressions born from Africa’s rising creative influence.