10 movies to watch in Nigeria this week, from Agbara Nla to Verity

Nigerian cinemas have rarely had a week like this. A Mount Zion remake is chasing Jenifa‘s opening record, Hollywood’s new No 1 is on the same screens, and Tom Cruise’s weakest opening in 19 years, by Deadline’s count, is two doors down. These are the new movies to watch this week in Nigeria, ranked by GistMatrix.

This is an editorial ranking, not an official chart. Seven of the ten are already showing. Three more titles arrive on Friday, 9 October: Animals and Take Charge of My Heart on Netflix, and East West Love in cinemas.

GistMatrix checked Silverbird Cinemas’ Now Showing list at about 10:30pm WAT on Monday, 5 October, for every runtime and age rating below, and took box-office figures from each film’s latest published weekend report.

What are the best new movies to watch this week in Nigeria?

1. Agbara Nla: The Return (Nollywood, cinemas)

The Mount Zion classic is back, and Nigerians are queueing for it. A big-screen remake of Mike Bamiloye’s 1993 Christian drama, directed by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and JayMikee, What Kept Me Up reported in its Nile Entertainment release list.

Why it ranks: It made ₦170.6m in its first four days, including ₦71.4m from previews, Nairametrics reported on Monday, 5 October, citing FilmX. That is the biggest Nollywood opening ever recorded outside December, and about ₦35m short of the all-time record held by Everybody Loves Jenifa.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In cinemas nationwide. Silverbird lists it at 2 hours 37 minutes, rated 12A, in Yoruba and English.

2. Verity (Hollywood, cinemas)

Anne Hathaway, a hidden manuscript and a marriage full of secrets. Michael Showalter’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s thriller stars Dakota Johnson as a struggling writer hired to finish an injured bestselling author’s book series, with Hathaway as the author and Josh Hartnett as her husband.

Why it ranks: It opened at No 1 in North America with $32.6m and more than $62m worldwide on a $40m budget, Rotten Tomatoes’ weekend report said. Critics were harsh, with a 34% score, but audiences turned up anyway.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In Nigerian cinemas since Friday, 2 October. Silverbird rates it 18 and lists it at 1 hour 54 minutes.

3. Black Market (Nollywood, cinemas)

The Guinness record holder is finally in your local cinema. Fatimah Binta Gimsay’s crime drama stars Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Omowunmi Dada, Scarlet Gomez and Susan Pwajok, Arise News reported. Nora Awolowo produced it.

Why it ranks: About 51,000 people watched its open-air screening at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, on Saturday, 26 September, beating the previous Guinness mark of 43,624 set in 2015, according to Arise News. Now everyone else gets a turn.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In cinemas from Friday, 2 October. Silverbird rates it 15 and lists it at 1 hour 40 minutes.

4. Animals (Netflix)

Ben Affleck directs himself as a father racing to save his son. Affleck plays a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, with Gillian Anderson co-starring, What’s on Netflix reported.

Why it ranks: It is the biggest Hollywood title on Netflix this week, and one of two on this list you can watch from your bed on Friday night.

Where to watch in Nigeria: Netflix from Friday, 9 October. Netflix originals launch worldwide, Nigeria included.

5. Drishyam: The Conclusion (Bollywood, cinemas)

Vijay Salgaonkar’s last cover-up, and India can’t stop buying tickets. Ajay Devgn returns as the family man who hid a crime, with Tabu, Shriya Saran and Jaideep Ahlawat, in what the makers call the final film in the series, NewsBytes reported.

Why it ranks: It took ₹66.75 crore in India on its opening day, Friday, 2 October, and ₹95.10 crore worldwide, according to NewsBytes. That is more than three times the ₹18.37 crore opening day of Mohanlal’s Malayalam Drishyam 3.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In Nigerian cinemas. Silverbird lists it in Hindi, at 2 hours 30 minutes.

6. East West Love (Nollywood, cinemas)

Heartbreak in Lagos, a fresh start in Kenya. After she catches her partner cheating, Tito (Sunshine Rosman) follows her best friend to Kenya and falls for a wealthy Kenyan heir (Brian Abajah). Tanzanian director Seko Shamte made it for Nigeria’s Suss Productions, What Kept Me Up reported. Efa Iwara co-stars.

Why it ranks: It opened NollywoodWeek in Paris this year, and it is the only new Nollywood cinema release scheduled for this Friday on Nile Entertainment’s October slate.

Where to watch in Nigeria: Nigerian cinemas from Friday, 9 October, according to Nile Entertainment’s release list as reported by What Kept Me Up on 9 September. It was not yet on Silverbird’s listings when GistMatrix checked on Monday night, so confirm with your cinema.

7. Take Charge of My Heart (K-drama, Netflix)

His heart runs on a battery. She can charge it. Kim Young-kwang plays a man whose artificial heart is running low; Chae Soo-bin plays a woman who was struck by lightning as a child and can recharge it by touch. They strike a deal: his heart for her dating goals. Park Soo-won directs from Song You-chae’s script, Netflix said.

Why it ranks: It is the week’s lightest watch, and K-drama fans in Nigeria have been waiting for Chae Soo-bin’s next romance.

Where to watch in Nigeria: Netflix from Friday, 9 October, according to Netflix.

8. MKO (documentary, cinemas)

Abiola’s story, told on the big screen. Ose Oyamendan’s documentary on Moshood Abiola and the annulled 12 June 1993 election, with President Bola Tinubu among the people interviewed.

Why it ranks: Tinubu, the First Lady, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and three governors attended its Lagos premiere on Independence Day, Thursday, 1 October, Vanguard reported, as GistMatrix covered that night.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In cinemas nationwide through Nile Entertainment. Silverbird rates it PG and lists it at 1 hour 48 minutes. It is not on streaming.

9. Starlomo (Nollywood, cinemas)

Kamo State’s first cinema movie, with a Funke Akindele seal of approval. The cinema debut of skit maker Akinyoola Ayoola, known as Kamo State, a Yoruba-language drama.

Why it ranks: Funke Akindele’s joint skit with Kamo State passed 100,000 Instagram likes within six hours on 30 September, as GistMatrix reported.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In cinemas since Friday, 25 September. Silverbird lists it in Yoruba, at 2 hours.

10. Digger (Hollywood, cinemas)

Tom Cruise plays a billionaire who causes a disaster. His opening weekend went badly too. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s dark comedy casts Cruise as the most powerful man in the world, whose business sets off an environmental catastrophe he then tries to fix, ScreenCrush reported. Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller and Jesse Plemons co-star for Warner Bros.

Why it ranks: It opened with $8m in North America and about $20m worldwide, against a reported budget of $125m to $180m, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Variety called it a major bomb. It is still the one everybody is talking about, so see it and decide for yourself.

Where to watch in Nigeria: In Nigerian cinemas since Friday, 2 October. Silverbird rates it 15 and lists it at 2 hours 8 minutes.

What do the box-office numbers say?

Nollywood won the weekend at home. Agbara Nla: The Return made ₦99.15m from Friday to Sunday, 2 to 4 October, on top of ₦71.4m in previews, Nairametrics reported. Its Sunday alone, ₦53.70m, was about three and a half times its Friday.

In North America, the two Hollywood titles in Nigerian cinemas went opposite ways. Verity made four times what Digger did, $32.6m against $8m, on less than a third of the lower budget figure reported for the Cruise film, according to Rotten Tomatoes. In India, Drishyam: The Conclusion opened with ₹66.75 crore in a single day.

What happens next

Animals and Take Charge of My Heart land on Netflix and East West Love is due in cinemas on Friday, 9 October. The second-weekend figures for Agbara Nla: The Return cover 9 to 11 October, and GistMatrix’s next movie countdown is on Monday, 12 October.

FAQ

What new Nollywood movies are in cinemas this week?
Agbara Nla: The Return, Black Market, MKO and Starlomo are showing now, Silverbird’s listings show. East West Love is due on Friday, 9 October.

Is Verity showing in Nigeria?
Yes. Verity has been in Nigerian cinemas since Friday, 2 October. Silverbird rates it 18, so under-18s cannot watch it.

When is Animals on Netflix?
Ben Affleck’s Animals arrives on Netflix on Friday, 9 October, and Netflix releases its originals in Nigeria on the same day as everywhere else.

Which one are you seeing first? Tell us in the comments.

Read next: MKO documentary premieres in Lagos with Tinubu, cinemas Friday · Funke Akindele and Kamo State’s Starlomo skit tops 100,000 likes · 10 movies and shows to watch this October