The film has successfully held the title of the highest-grossing film for two consecutive weekends, reflecting its positive reception in Nigeria's dynamic film landscape.
Debuting on September 27, "Queen Lateefah" opened to impressive figures, earning N58 million in its opening weekend.
Co-produced by Wumi Toriola Productions and Captain of the Sea Productions, the film narrates the story of Lateefah Adeleke, a 30-year-old entrepreneur striving to elevate her social status. However, her carefully crafted image begins to fall apart when she encounters Jide Rhodes, a 35-year-old businessman, who reveals the discrepancies between her projected persona and her true situation.
Lateefah, who grew up in poverty under the care of an illiterate mother, resides in a rundown building surrounded by quirky neighbors. Despite these challenges, she portrays herself as a successful, well-traveled professional. This conflict between her outward appearance and her reality forms the crux of the film's narrative, enriching the storyline with depth and intrigue.
Featuring a talented cast that includes prominent Nollywood stars such as Kunle Remi, Femi Adebayo, Nancy Isime, and Broda Shaggi, a two-time African Magic Viewers’ Choice Award winner, the film promises a high-caliber production that appeals to a wide audience.
In its opening week, "Queen Lateefah" generated N100.2 million, a feat that Nigerian film distributor Cinemax celebrated as a significant achievement for Toriola in her inaugural role as a producer.
Ope Ajayi, the founder of Cinemax, emphasized the company's commitment to becoming a key player in the Nigerian film sector by forming strategic partnerships with local filmmakers and focusing on the promotion of African stories. The success of "Queen Lateefah" underscores Nollywood's potential to serve as a major contributor to cultural content both within Nigeria and throughout Africa.
In addition, "Farmer’s Bride," another local production, has also seen impressive box office results. Distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, the film has garnered N89.5 million in its first 12 days, including an extra N29.1 million over the latest weekend. With an opening weekend of N37 million, "Farmer’s Bride" has emerged as the second-highest-grossing film in Nigeria during the same timeframe.
The outstanding box office performance of these films illustrates the ongoing growth and development of Nigeria’s film industry, which has experienced heightened investments in production quality and distribution channels in recent years.
As Nollywood broadens its reach both locally and globally, these box office results signify the industry's increasing importance in the worldwide entertainment arena.