Netflix has strengthened its investment in Nollywood, collaborating with filmmakers like Charles Okpaleke, Femi Adebayo, Clarence Peters, Omoni Oboli, and Zeb Ejiro to unveil and give life to a lineup of new projects.
This slate of films, set to premiere in the final quarter of 2024, showcases Netflix’s dedication to celebrating the country’s diverse storytelling while entertaining its local audience with authentic narratives.
The upcoming Q4 2024 projects, which span different genres and themes, include new releases like ‘Hijack 93’, a thriller film inspired by true-life events, on 25 October, the event’s anniversary. Also launching in 2024 but only available in Africa are ‘Inside Life’ a series (11 October); ‘Domitilla’ (8 November); ‘Sisi London’ (29 November); and ‘Seven Doors’ (13 December).
According to the company, these projects, which will debut in October, are honouring Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.
“It is essential to us that Netflix remains the premier destination for the best in Nigerian storytelling for our members in Nigeria,” said Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s Vice President of Content for the Middle East and Africa. “We aim to continue celebrating the country’s rich and vibrant culture and history by acquiring a variety of exciting, licensed titles from Nigeria’s best filmmaking talent.”
One of the films to be released, ‘Hijack 93,’ tells the story of four young men who hijack a plane in protest of the annulled 1993 elections in Nigeria. The film, created by Play Networks Studios, the makers of Blood Vessel and Glamour Girls, will feature an all-star cast including Nancy Isime, Sharon Ooja, Jemima Osunde, Idia Aisen, Adam Garba, Nnamdi Agbo, Akinsola Oluwaseyi, Allison Emmanuel, Efa Iwara, and John Dumelo.
Speaking on the movie, Charles Okpaleke said, “Such historic events that are part of the spine of our democracy tend to dissolve before the next generation has knowledge of it. As a filmmaker, my focus is telling our true African stories for the world to see.”
As part of Netflix’s investments, the company has renewed the series ‘Aníkúlápó’ for the second season and recently kicked off production in Ibadan and Ghana, where the series’ stars like Sola Sobowale, Bimbo Ademoye, and Lateef Adedimeji reprise their roles alongside new cast members Antar Laniyan, Joke Muyiwa, Adebowale Adebayo, and Saidi Balogun.
The original film, produced and directed by Kunle Afolayan, peaked at number 1 on the Netflix Global Top 10 list when it was released and returned as a series in March 2024.
Afolayan remarked, “We take pride in telling our stories authentically, and this series is a powerful reflection of Nigerian culture and history. This season will explore the complex realities of the slave trade, with actors from Portugal, Ghana, and Nigeria showing the global connections in our history. We’re excited to continue sharing this journey with the world and celebrating the depth of our culture.”
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.