The Nollywood film “Lakatabu,” made by famous actor Odunlade Adekola, has made around N94 million in box office money just one week after it came out, as of June 30, 2024. This info comes from Filmoneng, a movie distribution company in West Africa.
“Lakatabu” had a great start, earning N47 million in its first weekend in Nigerian cinemas. According to numbers from the Nigerian box office, the movie had the third-best opening of 2024, with over 11,000 people buying tickets.
Data from the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) shows that “Lakatabu” was the highest-grossing Nollywood film at the box office between June 21 and June 27, 2024, making nearly N65 million during that time.
This amazing performance also made it the second highest-grossing film overall for that week.
The last time a Nollywood film led the box office was in May when Bolanle Austen-Peters’ “Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti” made almost N47 million between May 17 and May 23, 2024. It ended its five-week run in Nigerian cinemas with a total of N156.6 million and premiered on Prime Video on June 21, 2024.
What you should know
The Yoruba language film “Lakatabu” was released on June 21, 2024. It features famous actors like Adebayo Salami, Adedimeji Lateef, and Akin Lewis. Odunlade Adekola plays the main role, an armed robber with magical powers who causes chaos through kidnappings and murders.
The story gets more exciting as his character faces competitors and deals with the struggles and fear he creates.
Odunlade Adekola keeps proving himself with high-earning films. Before “Lakatabu,” he was successful with “Orisa,” which made N127 million. Known for his strong acting and directing skills, Adekola’s fame goes beyond just acting.
His ability to touch the hearts of the audience has won him two AMVCA awards, showing he can do both funny and serious roles very well.
A big name in Yoruba cinema, Adekola was one of the top actors of 2023. He has also acted in Netflix series like “Elesin Oba,” produced by EbonyLife, which shows his wide range of talent in the industry.
More insights
The Yoruba movie industry is becoming very important in Nigerian cinemas. For example, Eniola Ajao’s movie “Ajakaju” made over N250 million at the box office, and Kayode Kasum’s “Ajosepo,” featuring Bisola Aiyeola, Tomike Adeoye, and Timini Egbuson, made N252 million.
This success lines up with the rise of movie streaming platforms, which are now key for film distribution. Many Yoruba films now first show on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Showmax. Famous movies like “Anikulapo,” “Ijogbon,” “Jagun Jagun,” and “Ayinla” show the genre’s wide appeal and reach around the world.