Romantic comedy sequel also triumphs abroad as biggest Nollywood release ever in the UK
Lagos, 2 January 2018 – The ELFIKE Film Collective, a partnership between EbonyLife Films, FilmOne Distribution, Inkblot Productions and Koga Studios, is incredibly pleased to announce that the recently released The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai (TWP 2), broke more box-office records this past holiday season, at home and abroad. The film has made more than N300 million from its cinema run in Nigeria, thanks to packed audience viewings during the holiday period.
Following its success in Nigeria, The Wedding Party 2 came out on top in the UK, as:
- Biggest single-day opening for a Nollywood film in UK cinemas – £16,000 (N7.8 million);
- Top 10 film in the UK on Boxing Day, along with Star Wars, Jumanji, Pitch Perfect 3, Ferdinand and Paddington;
- Biggest advanced screening for a Nollywood film in the UK – £11,000 (N5.4 million);
- Biggest Nollywood release in the UK – £48,000 (N23.4 million), breaking the record previously held by The Mirror Boy (2011).
These astounding accomplishments have raised the bar further for Nollywood productions. The highly-anticipated sequel has surpassed several Nigerian box-office records set by its predecessor, Nollywood’s highest grossing movie, The Wedding Party, in much shorter times.
Mo Abudu, CEO, EbonyLife Films, almost finds it hard to believe how successful TWP 2 has been, in Nigeria and the UK. “It is incredible that the movie has received this much support from moviegoers outside of Nigeria – they chose to see it, despite the number of Hollywood blockbusters available. Our hope is that Nollywood keeps producing films and telling stories that can stand head-to-head with the best productions worldwide,” she said.
Moses Babatope, COO of FilmOne Distribution, is just as elated with the incredible box office success of the movie, within and outside Nigeria. “As a result of the remarkable performance of The Wedding Party 2 at home, we had high hopes for its UK run. However, we did not expect this level of success within such a short time – the results have been a very pleasant surprise. Our fingers are crossed for similar outcomes in USA, Canada and the Middle East,” he said.
Tickets remain available for viewers who are yet to see what appears to be a delightful film. It keeps getting rave reviews from moviegoers trooping to the cinemas for a bit of relaxation before business activities fully commence in the New Year.
-Ends-
The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai is out in cinemas now, in Nigeria, across Africa and the UK. Below is the international release schedule. For more information, visit www.ebonylifefilms.com
International release schedule
Nigeria, Ghana – now showing
South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia – now showing
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda – now showing
Liberia – now showing
Togo, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, Mali, Guinea – now showing
England, Scotland – now showing
Netherlands – Jan. 4, 2017
Belgium – Jan. 12, 2017
United States, Canada – TBC
UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), Lebanon – Jan. 18, 2017 (TBC)
Jamaica, Trinidad – TBC