Kemi Adetiba’s romantic comedy, “The Wedding Party” just released last month – December, 2016 – has become the highest grossing movie in the history of Nollywood since the groundbreaking “Living in Bondage” in 1992.
“The Wedding Party” has grossed more than N200,000,000 so far (about $655,000) on a production budget of only N60 million (about $196,000).
The movie erased the box office records of Ayo Makun’s “A Trip To Jamaica” that has made N168 million so far, and “30 Days in Atlanta” that made more than N137 million between 2014 and 2015.
I project that “The Wedding Party” will become the second Nigerian movie to gross over US$1Million since the 1977 box office hit, “Bisi, Daughter of the River” directed by Joseph Abiodun Babajide, aka Jab Adu, who passed away in 2016. His movie played at more than 300 cinemas for three years in Nigeria.
There are millions of Nigerians who would likely see “The Wedding Party” during the Valentine week next month.
“The Wedding party” follows the shenanigans that go on during the planning of a wedding in Nigeria. Dunni a 24 year old art gallery owner and only daughter of her parents, Engineer Bamidele and Mrs Tinuade Coker, is about to marry the love of her life, IT entrepreneur Dozie the handsome son of Felix and Obianuju Onwuka. The couple took a vow of chastity and are looking forward to a ground -breaking first night together as a married couple. Between matchmaking attempts on the bridal train, a wedding planner on a mission to succeed, the unruly behaviour of some ‘village’ guests much to Tinuade’s horror, Dunni’s uncertainty about her new husband’s faithfulness during the time of their courtship, amidst colorful aso-ebi, eclectic music, small chops, and souvenir drama, we begin to wonder whether Dunni and Dozie will get through their wedding reception unscathed.
The film’s cast includes:
Adesua Etomi – Dunni Coker (The Bride)
Banky Wellington – Dozie Onwuka (The Groom)
Richard Mofe Damijo – Felix Onwuka (Father of the Groom)
Sola Sobowale – Tinuade Coker (Mother of the Bride)
Iretiola Doyle – Obianuju Onwuka (Mother of the Groom)
Alibaba Akporobome – Bamidele Coker (Father of the Bride)
Zainab Balogun – Wonu (The Wedding Planner)
Enyinna Nwigwe – Nonso Onwuka (The Groom’s Brother)
Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama – Yemisi Disu (Maid of Honor)
Daniella Down -Deardre Winston (Maid of Honor.
Written by playwright Tosin Otudeko and Kemi Adetiba, “The Wedding Party” is an ELFIKE Film Collective production – a first of its kind initiative designed to raise the bar in African storytelling. A collaboration of Africa’s leading powerhouses – EbonyLife Films, FilmOne Distribution, Koga Studios and Inkblot Productions, Executive producers include Mo Abudu, Moses Babatope, Chris Jeyibo and Naz Onuzo.
Watch a trailer for the film below:
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima is Publisher/Editor of NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® series. Pick up a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/author/
