Nollywood’s newest movie, “What About Us,” made a big splash in Nigerian theaters, earning N24.6 million in just three days.
The film premiered on July 12, 2024, marking the first time Emmanuel Iren, the head Pastor of Celebration Church International, worked as an executive producer.
According to Filmoneng, the movie’s distributor, “What About Us” was the top-grossing film for the weekend of July 12-14, 2024.
Emmanuel Iren not only produced it but also came up with the story. Ife Olujuyigbe wrote the script, and Kayode Kasum directed it. Bisola Badejo and Tochukwu Macdonald Sunday also helped produce the movie, which belongs to Narrative Entertainment Production, a company linked to Pastor Iren.
The story of “What About Us” is about a couple trying hard to keep their marriage together. Things get more complicated when a new couple moves in next door, and the wife becomes too friendly with the neighbor’s husband.
It features a star-studded cast, including Uzor Arukwe, Folu Storms, Kunle Remi, Teniola Aladese, Aeyi Awolowo, Marycolette Unamka, and Atlanta Bridget Johnson.
Market Insights
More people are watching Nollywood movies these days. The trend started with the success of “God Calling,” produced by BB Sasore.
“God Calling” made about N36 million at the Nigerian box office before it was shown on Amazon Prime. The movie was a big hit in 2019 and earned 11 nominations at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2020, winning several awards.
Another recent hit is “Breath of Life,” which won the Best Movie award at the 10th edition of the AMVCA. The film was nominated for 11 awards, including Best Movie, Best Director, and Best Lead Actor, and ended up winning six awards.
Future Prospects
With the success of Nollywood films and the track record of the people involved in “What About Us,” the movie has a good chance of doing well financially. Director Kayode Kasum is known for making box-office hits.
By April, films directed by Kayode Kasum had earned over N1 billion at the Nigerian box office.
For example, his 2019 film “Sugar Rush” became the fourth highest-grossing Nigerian film ever. Earlier this year, his movie “Ajosepo” made over N250 million at the box office.
The cast of “What About Us” includes Kunle Remi, one of Nigeria’s biggest stars in 2023. His presence adds a lot of star power to the movie, helping it do well in its opening weekend.