Funke Akindele’s Everybody Loves Jenifa has shattered records, becoming the first Nollywood film to rake in over $100,000 in diaspora sales. The latest installment in the Jenifa franchise hit cinemas on December 13 and has been making waves ever since.
The film set a new milestone for Nollywood, achieving the biggest opening weekend for a movie released outside Africa. It screened across major cinemas in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, and Norway.
Reacting to the groundbreaking achievement, Funke expressed her heartfelt gratitude on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
“I’m beyond grateful to my incredible cast, the unstoppable Jenifans, my amazing colleagues, the diasporan community, and everyone who’s been part of this journey. You’re the real MVPs.
“Your love and support have been the fuel behind this dream. I couldn’t have done this without you. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.”
Nollywood Highest-Grossing Movie
In Nigeria, Everybody Loves Jenifa has claimed the title of the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2024, raking in an impressive ₦500 million within just 12 days. It also shattered records with the biggest opening weekend, grossing ₦206 million and surpassing Funke Akindele’s previous blockbuster, A Tribe Called Judah, which debuted with ₦113 million last year.
The film further cemented its supremacy by recording the highest single-day earnings of the year, amassing ₦87.8 million.
Everybody Loves Jenifa follows the captivating story of Jenifa, played by Funke Akindele, a beloved figure in her community whose influence faces a new challenge with the arrival of Lobster, portrayed by Stan Nze. Lobster, an apparent do-gooder running an NGO, is revealed to be exploiting it as a façade to siphon fraudulent grants from international humanitarian organizations.
The movie boasts a star-studded ensemble featuring Falz, Omowunmi Dada, Jackie Appiah, Nancy Isime, Destiny Etiko, Chy Nwakanma, Patience Ozokwor, Lateef Adedimeji, Bisola Aiyeola, and more. Special appearances by D’banj, Hilda Baci, and Cute Abiola add an extra layer of excitement to this cinematic hit.
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