The Nigerian box office has seen a shift in leadership this week. The domestic film “What about Us?” directed by Kayode Kasum claims the top spot. This new chart-topper has accumulated an impressive ₦34.7 million since its release, dethroning the Hollywood blockbuster “Bad Boys: Ride or Die“. The latter had dominated the charts since the beginning of the month.
“What about Us?” boasts a star-studded cast featuring Uzor Arukwe, Folu Storms, Kunle Remi, Teniola Aladese, Seyi Awolowo, Marycolette Unamka, and Atlanta Bridget Johnson. The film’s success was particularly notable in its opening weekend. It raked in ₦24 million, according to a report published by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) on July 20, 2024.
The report covers the box office performance from July 12 to July 18, 2024.
Also, it reveals a competitive landscape in Nigerian cinemas. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, now occupies the second position with earnings of ₦33.6 million.
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Close on its heels is the Hollywood horror sci-fi “A Quiet Place: Day One,” written and directed by Michael Sarnoski. This film secured the third spot with ₦30.3 million. This brings its total gross to an impressive ₦109.2 million. The Nollywood epic crime thriller “Lakatabu,” helmed by Odunlade Adekola, holds the fourth position with ₦22.1 million for the week. It pushed its total earnings since its June 21, 2024 release to over ₦156 million.
The animated realm continues to perform well. “Despicable Me 4” maintains its fifth-place position. This American animated comedy which Universal Pictures and Illumination produced, added ₦13.8 million to its coffers. With this, it reached a total gross of ₦40 million.
Another strong performer is Biodun Stephen’s “Muri and Ko.” The movie amassed ₦120.4 million since its June 14, 2024 release. It currently sits in sixth place, having earned ₦12.3 million during the week in question. Disney’s “Inside Out 2” follows in seventh place, with weekly earnings of ₦11.5 million and a cumulative gross of ₦68.5 million.
The romantic comedy “Fly Me to the Moon,” secured the eighth spot with ₦8.1 million. Greg Berlanti directed it and Columbia Pictures distributed it.
Rounding out the top ten are two newer releases.
“The Groomsmen,” a romantic drama Ampong Kwaku Kwakye directed and released on July 12, 2024, took ninth place. It grossed ₦6.1 million for the week, bringing its total to ₦6.2 million. Finally, “Voltage,” premiered on July 5, 2024, claimed the tenth position with weekly earnings of ₦2.4 million, contributing to its total gross of ₦8 million.
This diverse mix of domestic and international films, spanning various genres from action and horror to romance and animation, shows the competitive nature of the Nigerian box office.
The success of local productions like “What about Us?” and “Lakatabu” alongside international blockbusters highlights the growing strength and appeal of Nollywood films to Nigerian audiences.
