It seems that many readers are in agreement with, or at the least are intrigued by Cailloux’s selections…with the exception of one, Kinah.

A large number of voters, have indicated they would like to see beyonce in the role of Kinah. Of course, in the practical sense, we wondered if Beyonce would be able to pull off such a role, as Kinah is a central character, whose actions drive a significant portion of the story. But the more intriguing question was, what was it that inspired the connection between Beyonce and Kinah? Granted she would have a far better chance of pulling off the Kinah role, than that of  Wonder Woman whom she was quoted as expressing interest in playing. But the question remains, why Beyonce?

When mentioned to the author himself, he merely smiled and shook his head subtly, as clearly he’s heard this nomination a number of times already during personal appearances. When we asked what struck him humorously, he replied “Blame it on photoshop, I guess.”

The exploration of that comment uncovered a very interesting back story on the creation of Kinah that we will be posting very soon.

Also present, were a number of African journalists representing media from Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Cameroon. Print, television, and online media were all represented, and over the course of the weekend, there were seminars, classes, career fairs, awards ceremonies, networking mixers, and even a couple of advance screenings of two soon-to-be-released Hollywood films; Chris Rock’s new documentary film, Good Hair, and the Walt Disney animated film, The Princess and The Frog.

Of course, Imajen was at the convention promoting Ancients & Immortals, and specifically Book Seven: Archangels In Exile, and just as has been the case in previous exhibitions, the response to this groundbreaking work was incredible.

We certainly would like to thank Urban Internet Television for the taking an interest in the property and conducting an on air interview to promote Ancients & Immortals to their viewers. We would also like to acknowledge the African journalists, who are becoming some of the most enthusiastic new fans of the property, and have invited the Imajen team to come to their respective countries to promote Ancients & Immortals, and the Archangels installments in particular, which are set in fictional locations in Africa.

The Urban Internet Television interview will be added to the video archives in the coming weeks, and we will also be announcing several exciting developments, which are a result of  suggestions made by NABJ Convention attendees – the newest fans of Ancients & Immortals.

Now, I must say that we have received some rather interesting nominees. Some of them make sense for visual reasons or “box office draw” reasons, while others, ahem…well, not so much. Nevertheless, as previously indicated, the top nominated names will be posted on the site for your voting consideration, so if you have a favorite, now is the time to speak and make your voice heard.

In the meantime, interestingly enough, after significant badgering we were able to obtain the author’s top picks for the main characters, his “dream team”, of sorts. Some of which are on the email votes list, and are readily recognizable to the average filmgoer, while others will have a number of you heading over to IMDB or Google to do a lookup. Alright, honestly, a couple of us had to research a couple of the names also…but regardless, with no further ado, here are Cailloux Williams’ casting picks:

Chike: Henry Simmons(1st), Boris Kodjoe(2nd), Dwayne Johnson(3rd)
Hondo: Djimon Honsou(1st), Henry Simmons(2nd)
Kinah: Sanaa Lathan, (a close 2nd and 3rd are Jamaican and African  actresses – names not given)
Sadiki: Don Cheadle
Jelani: Terry Crews(1st), Michael Clark Duncan(a close 2nd)
Chionesu: Dennis Haysbert
Baruti: Isaach de Bankole(1st), Sebastien Foucan(2nd)

Intriguing list, eh? We thought so too. Want to get in on the casting action? Drop us a note with your picks.

Of course we’re still working towards the big budget animated feature, and live action film that everyone wants to see, but in the mean time, this should tide over of the hardcore fans, and hopefully entice a few new ones. Stay tuned.

On the previously existing Imajen website(which has been referred to by some as an “old school” website because of the functionality), during the initial phase of the Ancients & Immortals promotions, Imajen offered limited edition prints of 12 of the more prominent characters to be featured in Book Seven; Archangels In Exile. As it was an introductory promotion, and the prints and posters are limited editions, there were only a small number produced – and of which a large number are hanging on the walls of Ancients & Immortals fans in Japan. Now we have conserved a number of the prints and posters, and may offer them on the website in limited quantities at some point, but in the mean time these items are mainly available at promotional appearances. We like to think of it as just another reward for fans that come out to an event and show their support.

As indicated previously, excerpts will not be posted with any particular relation to chapter order, or story timeline, and selections will be chosen based on reader feedback on favorite characters, events, and dialogue. If you have a favorite scene, character, or event, be sure to email us and tell us about it, and perhaps your favorite will make it into the rotation.

If you don’t have a favorite, could it be that you haven’t purchased a copy of the book yet? If not, what are you waiting for?  Click on the Book image on the Home Page to pick up your copy now, and see for yourself what all the fuss is about. Travel back and forth through the Portals, and encounter exciting, original characters along the way. By the time you reach the end of the last chapter, you will most certainly have a number of favorites to choose from.

Unlike Archangels’ version 1, which was released in a Japanese-language version for the Japanese market, version 2 is presently available in English only, and includes an Afterword, by the author.

The story synopsis for Ancients & Immortals: Book Nine; Rebirth will be posted soon, so be sure to check back for updates!