The Untamed Movie: Viola Davis Brings Afrofantasy Comic to Hollywood - And the Creator Gets to Direct

Viola Davis' JuVee Productions just made a deal that could change how Hollywood treats indie comics.

The EGOT-winning actress is producing a film adaptation of The Untamed: A Sinner's Prayer, an Afrofantasy comic from Stranger Comics—a Black-owned independent publisher. But here's the twist that makes this announcement special: Sebastian A. Jones, the comic's creator, will direct the adaptation.

That almost never happens. Comic creators rarely get to helm their own film adaptations. Studios typically hire established directors, pushing creators into "consultant" roles where their input is politely ignored. Jones getting the director's chair represents unusual creative control for an indie comic adaptation.

The announcement comes as Hollywood hunts for "the next Black Panther"—culturally-grounded fantasy with mass appeal. Studios are finally realizing what readers have known for years: Afrofantasy is a massive untapped market.

The Untamed could be the property that proves indie publishers belong in the Hollywood conversation as much as Marvel and DC.

What Is The Untamed?

The Untamed: A Sinner's Prayer is a revenge fantasy set in Asunda, a world blending Medieval European and African history, culture, and mythology.

The story follows a character known only as "the Stranger" who returns to the lawless town of Oasis under an unholy deal: He has seven days to collect the seven souls responsible for murdering his wife and child. If he fails, the consequences are... worse than death.

But his revenge quest gets complicated when he encounters Niobe, a young orphan whose presence forces him to confront whether his path leads to justice or damnation.

If that sounds like a spaghetti Western crossed with Kurosawa's samurai films—good catch. Jones cited A Fistful of Dollars and Yojimbo as influences. The Untamed takes the "stranger comes to town" archetype and filters it through African-inspired fantasy world-building.

The comic launched in 2011, created by Sebastian A. Jones, Peter Bergting, and Darrell May through their indie publisher Stranger Comics. Jones has been building the Asunda universe for over a decade through multiple series (Niobe, The Untamed, Tales of Asunda) and successfully crowdfunded expansions via Kickstarter—including a campaign that raised over $100,000.

While not a mainstream hit like The Walking Dead or Saga, The Untamed built a dedicated fanbase that responded to its unique blend of African cultural grounding and classic fantasy storytelling.

Sebastian A. Jones: The Creator Who Gets to Direct

Sebastian A. Jones founded Stranger Comics in 2007 after shopping his ideas to major publishers got him nowhere.

Born and raised in England, Jones grew up immersed in Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy novels, and live-action role-playing. But when he looked at the fantasy genre—books, comics, films—he didn't see himself reflected. Medieval fantasy was overwhelmingly white. African-inspired fantasy didn't exist in mainstream spaces.

In interviews, Jones describes pitching Niobe (his breakout character) to publishers in the mid-1990s. The response? "Why would we do a Black female protagonist?" This was pre-Blade, pre-Black Panther, years before The Woman King. The industry wasn't interested.

So Jones built Stranger Comics to tell the stories publishers wouldn't touch. Asunda became his world—a sprawling fantasy universe where African history, mythology, and diaspora culture formed the foundation instead of being tacked on as diversity window-dressing.

Over 15+ years, Stranger Comics published multiple series, built a Patreon community, ran successful Kickstarters, and slowly proved there was an audience for Afrofantasy comics. Jones didn't need Marvel or DC's validation—he created his own platform.

Now he's directing the film adaptation of his own work. That's vindication few indie creators experience.

Why Creator-Directed Adaptations Are Rare

Comic creators rarely direct film adaptations of their work. Even legendary creators with Hollywood connections struggle to get that opportunity.

Consider:

• Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) - Never directed adaptations; famously disowned most of them
• Frank Miller (300, Sin City) - Co-directed Sin City with Robert Rodriguez after decades in comics
• Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) - Executive producer on adaptations, never directed
• Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man) - Transitioned to TV writing but didn't direct his adaptations
• Neil Gaiman (Sandman, American Gods) - Executive producer/writer, not director

The list of comic creators who've successfully directed their own adaptations is short: Frank Miller (with co-director), James O'Barr (The Crow, though troubled production), and a handful of others.

Why? Studios don't trust comic creators with $50+ million budgets and 18-month production schedules. Directing requires different skills than writing/drawing. Even successful comic creators are unproven in film.

But Jones getting the director's chair suggests a shift. Maybe it's because The Untamed is lower-budget than Marvel tentpoles. Maybe it's because Viola Davis' involvement brings credibility. Maybe it's because Jones proved he could manage large creative projects through Stranger Comics' Kickstarters and publishing schedule.

Whatever the reason, this deal gives Jones creative control that most comic creators never see. He'll shape not just the script but the visual language, performances, and final cut.

That matters for representation. Too often, diverse stories get filtered through white directors who "interpret" cultural elements they don't fully understand. Jones directing his own work means African cultural elements in The Untamed will be authentic, not performative.

Viola Davis and JuVee Productions: Why This Partnership Matters

Viola Davis is an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). She's Hollywood royalty. Her involvement brings instant credibility to any project.

But JuVee Productions—the company she runs with her husband Julius Tennon—isn't just cashing checks. They focus on diverse storytelling that centers marginalized voices. Previous projects include:

The Woman King (2022) - Historical epic about Dahomey's all-female warrior unit. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, starring Viola Davis. Critical and commercial success that proved Black-led historical action films work.

First Ladies - Showtime series about American First Ladies, centering often-overlooked women who shaped history.

G20 - Amazon series about global politics and power.

JuVee's track record shows they don't just produce "diverse content" for PR—they make culturally-grounded stories that don't pander or simplify. The Woman King especially demonstrated their ability to handle African historical epics with scope, action, and emotional depth.

That experience translates directly to The Untamed. JuVee knows how to produce African-inspired fantasy for mainstream audiences without diluting cultural specificity. They've proven studios will support these projects if they're executed well.

Davis herself has history with Jones' work—she wrote the foreword to his graphic novel Niobe: She is Life. That personal connection suggests genuine investment beyond a standard producing deal.

Partnering with Homeworld Entertainment (Andrew Cosby and Simon Swart) adds production infrastructure. Homeworld specializes in genre adaptations (horror, sci-fi, fantasy), giving The Untamed the team needed to execute its world-building and action on screen.

Afrofantasy as Genre: What Makes It Unique

"Afrofantasy" isn't just "fantasy with Black characters." It's fantasy rooted in African mythology, history, cultures, and diaspora experiences.

The term encompasses works by:

Nnedi Okorafor - Author of Binti, Who Fears Death, Akata Witch. Her novels blend Nigerian mythology with science fiction and fantasy. Winner of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards.

Tomi Adeyemi - Author of Children of Blood and Bone, a West African-inspired fantasy bestseller that became a publishing phenomenon. Film adaptation in development.

N.K. Jemisin - Though her work spans genres, her Broken Earth trilogy (Hugo-winning) incorporates African and African-American cultural elements into fantasy world-building.

Tananarive Due - Horror and speculative fiction writer exploring Black mythology and history.

In comics:

• Black Panther (Ta-Nehisi Coates' run especially) - Wakanda as Afrofuturist/Afrofantasy hybrid
• Bitter Root (David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, Sanford Greene) - Harlem Renaissance-era monster-hunting with African American folklore
• Vixen (DC Comics) - Superhero whose powers derive from African totems
• Stranger Comics' Asunda universe - Sebastian A. Jones' sprawling world

What distinguishes Afrofantasy from standard fantasy with diverse casting?

1. Cultural grounding - African mythology, folklore, history form the foundation, not decoration.

2. Aesthetic specificity - Visual design pulls from African art, architecture, fashion, not generic "tribal" stereotypes.

3. Diaspora consciousness - Many Afrofantasy works grapple with displacement, identity, colonialism's legacy.

4. Reclaiming narrative - African and African diaspora creators telling their own stories, not filtered through white authors' interpretations.

The Untamed fits this tradition. Asunda isn't "Medieval Europe but diverse"—it's a world where African cultures shape the fantasy tropes instead of being marginal.

Post-Black Panther: Hollywood's Afrofantasy Gold Rush

Black Panther (2018) made $1.3 billion globally. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) made $859 million despite production challenges (Chadwick Boseman's death, COVID delays).

Those numbers sent a message: Culturally-grounded fantasy with primarily Black casts can dominate global box office. Studios noticed.

Since Black Panther, Hollywood has hunted for "the next one":

In development:

• Children of Blood and Bone (Lucasfilm/Disney) - Tomi Adeyemi's bestselling novel
• Binti adaptation (HBO) - Nnedi Okorafor's Afrofuturist novella series
• Who Fears Death (HBO) - Nnedi Okorafor's post-apocalyptic African fantasy
• Akata Witch - Nnedi Okorafor's Nigerian magic realism

Studios are no longer asking "Will audiences see Black fantasy?" They're asking "Which one should we bet on?"

The Untamed benefits from this shift. Pre-Black Panther, an indie Afrofantasy comic getting a Hollywood deal with the creator directing? Unlikely. Post-Black Panther, studios actively seek this content.

But there's a catch: "Seeking" doesn't mean "understanding." Studios greenlight diverse projects then interfere, strip cultural specificity, or hire white directors who don't grasp the material. See: Every botched adaptation of diverse source material.

That's why Jones directing matters. He controls the vision. JuVee producing suggests the team understands why cultural authenticity matters for commercial success, not just representation brownie points.

If The Untamed succeeds, it validates indie Black-owned publishers. Stranger Comics proved you don't need Marvel/DC's distribution to build IP Hollywood wants. That opens doors for other indie creators of color who've been shut out.

The Indie-to-Hollywood Pipeline

Most comic-to-film adaptations come from Marvel or DC. Occasionally, Image Comics breaks through (The Walking Dead, Invincible, Spawn). Rarely, Dark Horse (Hellboy, 300, Sin City).

Truly independent publishers almost never get Hollywood deals. The industry doesn't know they exist.

But streaming and demographic shifts are changing the game. Studios need content. Diverse audiences demand representation. The Big Two don't have a monopoly on compelling IP anymore.

The Untamed deal shows indie publishers can compete if they:

1. Build fanbase first - Stranger Comics' 15-year publishing history and Kickstarter success proved demand exists.

2. Demonstrate commercial viability - Raising $100K+ on Kickstarter shows people will pay for this content.

3. Partner with established producers - JuVee and Homeworld give Stranger Comics Hollywood credibility.

4. Fit market demand - Post-Black Panther, studios want Afrofantasy. The Untamed arrived at the right moment.

This isn't charity. Hollywood sees The Untamed as potentially profitable. That's the only reason the deal exists.

But it creates a roadmap for other indie publishers, especially those centering marginalized voices. You don't need DC/Marvel's blessing to get a film deal—you need a fanbase, proof of concept, and timing.

What's Next for The Untamed?

The Hollywood Reporter announced the deal but production details are scarce. Based on typical development timelines:

Now (February 2026): Jones outlines the script. "Outline" suggests he's creating the story structure, possibly with screenwriting partners.

2026-2027: Script development, casting, financing. Viola Davis may or may not appear (she's producing, but the lead is male—the Stranger).

2027-2028: Production if greenlit. Fantasy films require extensive location scouting, costume/set design, and post-production VFX.

2029-2030: Earliest possible release if everything goes smoothly.

That's optimistic. Development hell claims most projects. But JuVee's track record (they actually finish projects) and Jones' involvement as director suggest this will move forward.

Key questions:

• Budget? Indie comic adaptations rarely get Marvel money. Expect $30-50 million range.
• Distribution? Theatrical or streaming? Post-COVID, mid-budget genre films often go straight to streaming.
• Cast? Unknown actors keeping costs down, or names to sell the film?
• How faithful to source? Jones directing suggests fidelity, but studios always demand changes.

Stranger Comics will continue publishing Untamed content regardless. The film is expansion, not replacement. Smart IP management means multiple revenue streams—comics, film, potential TV series, games.

Why This Matters Beyond One Movie

The Untamed movie represents multiple firsts:

1. Black-owned indie publisher getting major film deal - Validates business model outside Marvel/DC.

2. Creator directing own adaptation - Rare creative control for comic creator.

3. Afrofantasy reaching mainstream - Post-Black Panther, proof the market remains strong.

4. JuVee Productions expanding genre footprint - After The Woman King, they're cementing themselves as go-to producers for culturally-grounded fantasy.

If The Untamed succeeds commercially, it changes what Hollywood thinks is possible. Studios will look at other indie publishers. Creators of color will have proof they can maintain creative control. Audiences will see more culturally-specific fantasy that doesn't feel like generic diversity casting.

If it fails, studios will cite it as evidence diverse content doesn't sell (ignoring actual causes like poor marketing, bad release dates, or studio interference). The "one shot" problem Black creators face—where one failure dooms all similar projects—is real.

But betting against Viola Davis and Sebastian A. Jones feels like a bad bet. JuVee knows how to execute culturally-grounded stories. Jones has spent 15 years building Asunda's world. The fanbase exists. The timing is right.

The Untamed could be the indie comic adaptation that proves Afrofantasy isn't a fluke—it's a genre with staying power and massive audience demand.

And somewhere, a comic creator at another indie publisher is watching this deal and thinking: "If Stranger Comics can do it, maybe we can too."

That's how industries change. One deal at a time.

TAGGED: The Untamed, Viola Davis, Afrofantasy, Stranger Comics, Sebastian A Jones, Black Panther, JuVee Productions