Funke Akindele’s new movie, “A Tribe Called Judah,” has become the first Nollywood film to earn ₦113 million in its opening weekend since it premiered in cinemas on December 15, 2023.
Including the special screenings before the official release, the drama, distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, made a total of ₦122.7 million.
The record-setting film follows a group of brothers who turn to a life of crime to save their mother, attracting a total of 34,996 cinema admissions, including the early screenings.
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If the trend continues, “A Tribe Called Judah” could surpass “Battle on Buka Street,” another film by Akindele, which currently holds the record as Nollywood’s highest-grossing film at ₦668.4 million.
This success could potentially place Akindele in the top three slots for Nollywood’s highest-grossing films, as her film “Omo Ghetto: The Saga” currently holds the second position with a total gross of ₦636.1 million.
In the weekend chart released by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN), another highly anticipated Nollywood film released on the same day, “Ada Omo Daddy,” trailed “A Tribe Called Judah.”
Mercy Aigbe film, her first major cinema production, earned ₦27.6 million over the weekend and ₦30.5 million overall, with a total of 9,311 cinema admissions.
In third place was another December 15 debut, “Wonka,” a Hollywood production that earned ₦6.7 million, just ahead of the MCU’s “The Marvels,” which struggled with only ₦4.1 million, totaling ₦132 million in six weeks.
Closing the top five was Kayode Kasum’s critically acclaimed indigenous film, “Afamefuna,” which earned ₦3.8 million over the weekend, totaling ₦42.9 million after three weeks.
Here’s another great read for you: Highlights From “A Tribe Called Judah” Movie Premiere