What About Us, the debut production from Pastor Emmanuel Iren of Celebration Church International, has joined the exclusive N100 million club at the Nigerian box office, becoming the seventh film of 2024 to reach this milestone.
According to the Nigerian Box Office, the film has grossed N99.9 million to date, with N6.3 million added between August 3-5, bringing its total to N85.2 million at that point.
In its opening weekend, What About Us grossed N24.6 million following its premiere on July 12, 2024.
The film marks the executive production debut of Emmanuel Iren, who is also the lead pastor of Celebration Church International.
Distributed by Filmoneng, What About Us was the highest-grossing film in its opening weekend, from July 12-14, 2024. Emmanuel Iren, credited with the story, serves as the executive producer, while the screenplay was written by Ife Olujuyigbe and directed by Kayode Kasum. Bisola Badejo and Tochukwu Macdonald Sunday co-produced the film, which is a project of Narrative Entertainment Production, a company associated with Iren.
What to know
The film’s narrative centers on a couple grappling with the challenges of their marriage, which is further strained when a new couple moves in next door. The plot thickens as the wife forms a troubling bond with the neighbor’s husband. The film features a strong cast including Uzor Arukwe, Folu Storms, Kunle Remi, Teniola Aladese, Aeyi Awolowo, Marycolette Unamka, and Atlanta Bridget Johnson.
Given the strong market for Nollywood films and the track record of those involved in What About Us, the film is well-positioned for continued financial success. Director Kayode Kasum is known for his box office achievements, with his films grossing over N1 billion at the Nigerian box office as of April.
His 2019 film Sugar Rush became the fourth highest-grossing Nigerian film of all time, and his recent work Ajosepo crossed the N250 million mark earlier this year.
The presence of Kunle Remi, one of Nigeria’s top-grossing actors in 2023, adds significant star power to What About Us, contributing to its strong performance and likely ensuring its continued success.
The improved performance of Nollywood films this year is highlighted by a significant rise in both cinema admissions and box office revenue during the first half of 2024. Admissions have increased by 63% compared to the same period in 2023, with 619,441 tickets sold this year against 380,225 last year. Correspondingly, box office revenue has surged by 148%, from N900 million in 2023 to N2.2 billion in 2024. Nollywood films now represent 51.7% of total admissions and account for 48.2% of total box office revenue.
This positive trajectory suggests that 2024 could be a record-breaking year for Nollywood, depending on the performance of films slated for release in the fourth quarter and December. So far, the Nigerian box office has amassed N6 billion in revenue, with the average ticket price standing at N3,900.