‘Beast of Two Worlds’ (Ajakaju), the latest Yoruba epic film to hit Nigerian cinemas, has grossed ₦101.2 million after five days.
The film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, made the announcement on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
“Nigerians are not playing on this one. Thank you for trusting every movie we dish out,” the company said.
Beast of Two Worlds also grossed an impressive ₦63.2 million in its opening weekend, according to data published by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) on Thursday. The opening weekend record is the biggest for a Nollywood film released this year.
The epic also remarkably beat Hollywood film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which premiered at the same time but with a weekend gross of ₦49.3 million.
The CEAN, which officially collates data for films screening across Nigerian cinemas, is yet to release data for the film’s first-week gross performance.
Beast of Two Worlds is a collaboration between Anthill Studios and Nollywood actress, Eniola Ajao, who’s a first-time producer.
The film follows the story of a king who faces banishment from his home unless he produces a male heir, and his desperation leads him to take a new wife, inviting chaos into his kingdom.
The film is co-directed by Adebayo Tijani and Odunlade Adekola, who also plays the king, and features an all-star cast including Sola Sobowale, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Akintola, Fathia Balogun, Ibrahim Chatta, Peju Ogunmola and Olayode Juliana.
Beast of Two Worlds is the latest indigenous epic to become a Nollywood hit, following in the footsteps of Aníkúlápó, King of Thieves, Òrìṣà, and Jagun Jagun.
Olaitan Ibrahim