Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Smashes ₦200 Million in Opening Weekend, Sets New Nollywood Records
Funke Akindele has once again proven her strong influence in Nollywood as her latest movie, Behind The Scenes, recorded an outstanding opening weekend at the Nigerian box office. The film earned over ₦200 million within its first few days in cinemas, making it the biggest opening for a Nollywood film in 2025 so far.
According to FilmOne Entertainment, the official distributor of the movie, Behind The Scenes broke five major box office records during its opening weekend. The film also recorded the highest cinema admissions for any Nigerian movie released this year, showing strong audience interest across the country.
The movie had special advance screenings on December 10 and 11, ahead of its nationwide cinema release on December 12. These early showings helped build excitement, leading to packed cinemas immediately after the official release. Reports from several cinema chains confirmed massive turnout from fans eager to see Akindele’s latest project.
Behind The Scenes features a strong and diverse cast, including Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Tobi Bakre, and popular comedian Mr Macaroni. The film explores the social issue known as “black tax,” focusing on family pressure, financial responsibility, and emotional struggles faced by successful individuals. Many viewers have praised the movie for blending entertainment with a powerful and relatable message.
This latest success further strengthens Funke Akindele’s position as one of Nollywood’s most bankable filmmakers. Her previous film, Everybody Loves Jenifa, remains the highest-grossing Nollywood movie of all time, with earnings of over ₦1.8 billion. With Behind The Scenes, she has once again shown her ability to attract large audiences and deliver commercially successful films.
Industry analysts say the movie’s strong opening reflects Akindele’s loyal fan base and her consistent ability to connect with everyday Nigerian stories. The film’s performance also highlights the growing strength of Nollywood’s cinema market, especially when high-quality storytelling meets strong promotion.
Behind The Scenes is still showing in cinemas nationwide, and early trends suggest it could continue to perform strongly in the coming weeks. Many cinema operators have reported steady ticket sales, indicating that the movie may go on to achieve even higher box office figures.
