>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Nigerian movie industry has grown in leaps and bounds since the 1990s. The industry now boasts of having highest-grossing movies.
Nigerians are now spending their money on Nollywood movies that deliver quality entertainment.
A lot of movies have been pulling the big numbers this year. Here is a list of six highest grossing movies so far in 2023.
Orisa
Nine months into the year, and it’s evident that Nollywood is on a mission to give viewers their money’s worth. One of such pioneer of this movement is ace actor and director, Odunlade Adekola, whose epic-action, Orisa, currently holds the title of the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of 2023. With an ongoing cinema run which has spun nine weeks, Orisa has earned N125.3 million and is poised to become one of the highest-grossing Nollywood movies.
Orisa tells the story of a rogue king who loses respect for the gods and his people and is struck with insanity.
Odunlade Adekola, Shaffy Bello, Femi Adebayo, Muyiwa Ademola, Idowu Phillips, Jide Kosoko are some of the cast in the film.
Kesari: The King
This action movie was initially released in 2018 on YouTube with the following sequel titled; Kesari 2, Return of Kesari and Return of Kesari 2.
After enjoying a lot of success on Youtube, the filmmaker took the project to the big screen with a more elaborate story Kesari: The King, which is in its fifth week at the cinema, has already generated N66.1 million
Kesari: The King is the story of a man who was a god and then became a gangster. He later finds himself being chased by the law.
Produced and directed by Ibrahim Yekini, it features Mr Macaroni, Deyemi Okolanwon, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji, Odunlade Adekola and Yvonne Jegede.
The Kujus Again
Following the lovely reception that greeted Introducing the Kujus in 2020, Director Biodun Stephen returned with a sequel that received even more accolades. The family-comedy drama ranks as one of Nollywood’s decent offerings of 2023. It has earned a total of N53,538,450 after almost 25 weeks at the cinema.
In The Kujus Again, things took a troubling turn for the family when they gathered at a hotel resort for a traditional wedding ceremony.
The movie stars Bimbo Ademoye, Bisola Aiyeola, Kunle Remi, Ronke Odusanya among others.
Big Love
The Biodun Stephen-directed romantic comedy is easily one of 2023’s best offerings for hopeful romantics. This explains why it has earned a whopping N48,466,375 at the box office.
Starring Timini Egbuson and Bimbo Ademoye, Big Love tells the story of an independent woman who falls in love while struggling to make ends meet.
Shaffy Bello, Jaiye Kuti and Seyi Awolowo also starred in the movie.
Love in a Pandemic
Love in a Pandemic tells the love story of Bolanle Davis who meets the man of her dreams, Alex, but doesn’t know how her love life would survive during the most trying time of human existence, the COVID-19 pandemic.
The movie, which was produced by Bleeding Heart Production in partnership with filmOne, has earned N46,479,700 since hitting the cinema in February.
Nancy Isime, Deyemi Okanlawon, Teniola Aladese, Ronke Odusanya, Eso Dike featured in the movie.
Domitilla: The Reboot
There were mixed reactions to the remake of the original story by Zeb Ejiro, but this didn’t stop Domitilla: The Reboot from pulling a decent box office weeks after its April 2023 release.
The film has raked in a total of N45,113,750 after over 20 weeks run at the cinema.
Domitilla: The Reboot takes a deep dive into the dangerous world of sex workers.
The movie features Teniola Aladese, Elvina Ibru, Chiwetalu Agu, Deyemi Okanlawon, Stan Nze and Onyinye Odokoro.
