Wunmi Toriola’s “Queen Lateefah” reaches N256M after 3 weeks in cinemas 

Wunmi Toriola’s latest film, Queen Lateefah, has continued its strong performance at the West African box office, reaching N256 million in total gross as of the third weekend of October 2024.

Over the weekend spanning October 18-20, the film pulled in an additional N23.3 million, placing it among the top-grossing films of the period, second only to Omoni Oboli’s The Uprising.

With this momentum, the film is well on track to surpass the N300 million mark. Just last week, financial news outlet Nairametrics reported that Queen Lateefah had earned N216 million within its first 18 days in cinemas.

According to Opeyemi Ajayi, CEO of Cinemax, the film is scheduled for at least a 12-week cinema run, indicating significant room for further earnings.

Queen Lateefah has already outperformed other major Nollywood releases, including Ajakaju: Beast of Two Worlds, which grossed N250 million, and Lakatabu, which brought in over N200 million.

The strong performance of Queen Lateefah reflects a buoyant outlook for the Nigerian box office as it heads into the final quarter of 2024, bolstered by several high-profile releases still to come.

What to know 

Co-produced by Wumi Toriola Productions and Captain of the Sea Productions, the film follows the life of Lateefah Adeleke, a 30-year-old businesswoman striving to ascend the social ladder.

• However, her carefully curated image begins to crumble when she crosses paths with Jide Rhodes, a 35-year-old businessman, who reveals the cracks between her public persona and her actual life circumstances.
• This thematic tension between illusion and reality lies at the heart of the film, offering a layered and compelling narrative.
• The character of Lateefah, raised by an illiterate mother in dire economic conditions, resides in a rundown building with colourful, eccentric neighbours. Despite her grim realities, she portrays herself as a successful, cosmopolitan professional, a contrast that fuels the film’s dramatic core.
• The cast of Queen Lateefah includes some of Nollywood’s top talents, with Kunle Remi, Femi Adebayo, Nancy Isime, and two-time African Magic Viewers’ Choice Award winner Broda Shaggi, ensuring wide appeal and a high-profile production.
• In its opening week, Queen Lateefah earned N100.2 million, a figure Cinemax heralded as a significant success for Toriola in her debut as a producer.

Opeyemi Ajayi emphasized Cinemax’s strategic vision of positioning itself as a major player in the Nigerian film industry through collaborations with local filmmakers and a focus on telling African stories.

The success of Queen Lateefah highlights Nollywood’s potential to drive cultural content not only within Nigeria but across Africa.