TV › Iwájú
Iwájú 2024
Children'sChildren's animated adventureScience fiction
Iwájú is an animated science fiction miniseries created by Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Pan-African British-based company Kugali Media for the streaming platform Disney+. The series was written by Olufikayo Adeola and Halima Hudson based on a story by Adeola, Hamid Ibrahim, and Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku, and directed by Adeola. It marks the first "original long-form animated series" produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, though it became the final television series made by the studio before it moved away from long-form content to focus on theatrical films. The title Iwájú translates roughly to 'the future' in Yoruba, literally meaning 'front-facing'. Set in a futuristic version of Lagos, Nigeria, the show follows Tola and Kole as they explore their contrasting worlds, uncover secrets, and confront threats. The series blends distinctive visuals, technological progress, and the energy of Lagos.
The cast includes Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch, Siji Soetan, and Weruche Opia. Initially conceived as shorts, the long-form series was developed for Disney+ by December 2020. The creative team chose Lagos, Nigeria, as the setting due to its reputation as "the culture capital of Nigeria" and because both its mainland and island regions offer a unique atmosphere that provided a compelling backdrop for the narrative. Cinesite was announced as a co-producer in September 2021, with pre-production already underway at Cinesite Montreal. Full production started in May 2022. Animation was handled by Cinesite's Montreal and London offices, while storyboard supervision and pre-production were managed at Disney’s Burbank and Vancouver studios. The original soundtrack was composed by Ré Olunuga.
Iwájú debuted on Disney+ on February 28, 2024 and ran for six episodes.
Cast
- Simisola GbadamosiTola Martins
- Dayo OkeniyiTunde Martins
- Femi BranchBode DeSousa
- Siji SoetanKole Adesola
- Weruche OpiaOtin
- Toyin OshinaikeGodspower
- Bisola AiyeolaHappiness
- Sodiq YusuffSunday Adelekan
- Francis PoloEjiro
Crew
- Director
- Olufikayo Adeola
- Screenplay
- Olufikayo Adeola, Halima Hudson
- Story
- Olufikayo Adeola, Hamid Ibrahim, Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku
- Producer
- Christina Chen
- Executive producer
- Jennifer Lee (filmmaker), Byron Howard
- Music
- Ré Olunuga
Details
- Production
- Cinesite, Kugali Media, Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Network
- Disney+
