Saturday, 3 January 2015

Top 10 Highest Grossing Nollywood Movies Ever

The Nigerian movie industry has surely improved in the last three to four years.
With actors, directors and producers taking their work to the cinemas, it’s been
obviously a great step. We have had so many blockbusters From 2010 till date.

Top 10 Highest Grossing Nollywood Movies Ever:
1. IJE (The Journey)
Directed by Chineze Anyaene, produced by Paula Moreno and Chineze Anyaene,
written by Samuel Tilseh and Chineze Anyaene.
Starring: Genevieve Nnaji, Odalys Garcia, Omotola Jolade-Ekiende, Jeff Swarthout,
Clem Ohaneze and Ulrich Que.
Ije was released April 1, 2010, in the United States and July 30, 2010, in Nigeria. A
Nigerian-American drama film, it received several nominations and awards including
the awards for Best Editing and the Treasure Coast International Film Festival and
Best International Student Film at the Swansea Bay Film Festival 2010.
Spending over N100 million on the movie, the producer, Chineze Anyaene said she
has made only about half of the money she invested on it. Ije was in the cinemas
for about 12 weeks. Visiting cinema at that time was really hectic, movie buffs
were very eager to watch the much talked-about movie.
No doubt, Ije is one of the highest grossing Nigerian movies.
2. FIGURINE
Directed and produced by Kunle Afolayan, and Kemi Adesoye.
Starring: Ramsey Nouah, Kunle Afolayan, Omoni Oboli, Funlola Aofiyebi, Jide Kosoko,
Wale Adebayo, amongst others. It was released October 2, 2009.
The movie gulped over N50 million. It received 10 nominations and won five awards
at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2010, including the award for Best Picture,
Heart of Africa, AMAA, Achievement in Cinematography and AMAA Achievement in
Visual Effect.
With so many comments on sites and blogs tagging Figurine the best Nigerian movie
they have seen. Figurine was at the cinemas for about three months, showing at
least once a day with the cinema halls filled to capacity.
Kunle Afolayan would definitely have raked the millions he invested.
3. MIRROR BOY
Directed by Obi Emelonye, produced by Patrick Campbell, written by Obi Emelonye,
narrated by Frazier James.
Starring: Genevieve Nnaji, Osita Iheme, Edward Kagutuzi and Fatima Jebbe. Mirror
Boy is a Nigerian fantasy adventure drama. It was shot in England and The Gambia,
and was released on January 17, 2011.
The award-winning movie gulped over N70 million, and up till now, the movie is still
winning awards. Mirror Boy was at the cinemas for about 12 weeks, showing at
least twice a day.
In London, it was the first African movie to premiere at the prestigious Empire
Leicester Square which earned it loads of praises and achievements and placed the
Nigerian movie industry on the world stage.
In Ghana, Mirror Boy reigned so well to become the highest selling movie ever in the
Ghanaian cinemas. Now, only in the first week at the Nigerian cinemas, Mirror Boy
has grossed over N12 million.
4. THE RETURN OF JENIFA
The Return of Jenifa was directed by DJ Tee, while the movie was premiered in the
U.S and Nigeria.
Starring: Antar Laniyan, Eldee D-Don, Banky W, Helen Paul, Iyabo Ojo, Ireti
Osayemi, Denrele, Omawumi, Yinka Quadri and a host of others.
It was premiered at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on September 23, 2011. When
people realized the much awaited movie was at the cinema, the crowd became
uncontrollable. Some would sit on the stairs of the cinema halls while some stood
just to see the movie. Not over-hyped, it was laughter from beginning to the very
end.
No doubt it was one of the best Nigerian movies. It was at the cinemas for over 12
weeks. The award-winning movie is still aired by television stations till date with
people watching it over and over again without being bored.
It was produced and written by Funke Akindele, popularly known as Jenifa.
5. ANCHOR BABY
Directed by Lonzo Nzekwe, produced by Lonzo Nzekwe and Jeremy Hood.
Starring: Omoni Oboli, Sam Sarpong, Terri Oliver. It was released in the USA on
January 27, 2011 and in Nigeria in December 10, 2010.
Anchor Baby is a Nigerian drama thriller. At the 2010 Harlem International Film
Festival in New York, the film won the award for Best Film and Omoni Oboli, the
main protagonist of the film was awarded the Best Actress Award.
Anchor Baby was written in two weeks and shot in 12 days, in USA and Canada. The
movie cost about N80 million, with the scene not shot in the country and the
storyline entirely different from the regular that we always see.
Anchor Baby was in the cinemas for 18 weeks, showing twice a day for the first
eight weeks.
6. MAAMI
Maami was released February 8, 2012 by Tunde Kelani of Mainframe Film and
Television Productions.
Starring: Funke Akindele, Wole Ojo, Tamilore Kuboye, amongst others with special
appearance by Yinka Davies, Kayode Balogun, Fatai Rolling Dollar and Biodun
Kupoluyi.
Adapted by Tunde Babalola from Femi Osofisan’s novel, the movie is about love,
perseverance and fate. It was directed and produced by Tunde Kelani. It was
showing at the cinemas for over 10 weeks.
Maami is not on DVD yet. Though it had a lot of criticisms, people still trooped to
the cinemas to see it. No doubt, Tunde Kelani would have made his money back.
7. THE MEETING
The Meeting was premiered on Friday, October 19, 2012, at Lagos Oriental Hotel,
Victoria Island, Lagos. A Mord Pictures Production for Audrey Silva Company,
directed by Mildred Okwo, produced by Rita Dominic and co-written by Tunde
Babalola, it’s a romantic comedy set in Abuja.
It was one of the most anticipated movies in 2012. The cast are Rita Dominic, Nse
Ikpe-Etim, Linda Ejiofor, Kate Henshaw, Jide Kosoko, Chinedu Ikedieze, amongst
others. It was showing at the cinemas at least four times a day when it was
released and it was showing for over eight weeks, with cinema halls filled. The
movie cost over N30 million and sure raked in over that amount since its release.
The Meeting is a romantic comedy set in Abuja following the trials of a Lagos based
corporate executive, Makinde Esho, who finds himself at the mercy of political
patronage and cupid’s arrow while in hot pursuit of a meeting to secure a
government contract.
8. PHONE SWAP
Phone Swap is a romantic comedy, another high grossing movie that cost more than
N60 million. It was produced and directed by popular director, Kunle Afolayan. It
was written by Kemi Adesoye, featuring Ramsey Nouah, Wale Ojo, Nse Ikpe-Etim and
Joke Silva.
The movie has been nominated for multiple African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). It
was awarded more cinema slots for the pleasure of movie lovers and brand agencies
clamouring for private screening for their clients.
Genesis Cinema, Lekki, Lagos, had six showings a day from 10am to 9pm, also
showing at Ozone, Yaba and Silverbird cinemas nationwide. It was premiered March
7, 2012, at the Expo Hall of Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos and in Ghana
also.
9. MARRIED BUT LIVING SINGLE

The multi-award winning blockbuster, Married But Living Single was produced by
Kalejaiye Adeboye Paul, written and directed by Tunde Olaoye.
The much anticipated drama flick features Joke Silva, Funke Akindele,, Joseph
Benjamin, Tina Mba, Femi Brainard, and a host of others.
The movie was inspired by a bestselling book written by Pastor Femi Fasheru. It
revolves around women, their career and family ties.
Married But Living Single was premiered in Nigeria in June 2012, London, October
2012 and Aberdeen, November 2012. The producer spend over N30 million on the
movie and with the way it was widely accepted and seen at the cinemas he might
just have raked in double of what he invested.

10. TANGO WITH ME

Directed, produced and written by Mahmood Ali-Balogun.
Starring: Genevieve Nnaji, Joke Silva, Joseph Benjamin, Bimbo Manuel, Ahmed
Yerima and Bimbo Akintola, it was released in May 2010.
Tango With Me is a Nigerian romantic drama film, with so many award nominations
for AMAA in 2011 and 2012, it is definitely a great movie.
With a budget of over N30 million, the producer may have made his money back since
the release of the movie in mid 2010. Cinema halls were well patronized because of
the movie and Mr. Ali-Balogun would not have made less than N60 million.
The high grossing movie was premiered in Odeon Cinema, London and Nigeria also.
Tango With Me has won many awards itself and also some of the cast and crew. It is
unarguably one of the most successful Nigerian movies.
It was at the cinemas for over 12 weeks showing every day.

No comments:

Post a Comment