Funke Akindele has once again proven her box office strength as her latest movie, Behind The Scenes, stormed Nigerian cinemas with an impressive opening that pulled in over two hundred million naira within its first weekend.
The film, which explores the emotional and social weight of black tax, places Scarlet Gomez at the centre of the story, supported by a rich ensemble cast. Audiences are treated to performances from Iyabo Ojo, Funke Akindele herself, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, Uzor Arukwe, Ini Dima Okojie, Adebowale Mr Macaroni, Ibrahim Chatta, Kamo State, as well as reality television stars Handi and Wanni Danbaki. The blend of seasoned actors and fresh faces adds depth and balance to the narrative.
Information shared by the film distributor revealed that Behind The Scenes delivered the strongest opening weekend recorded by any Nollywood title in 2025 so far. It also became the first local film this year to cross the two hundred million naira mark within its debut weekend. Beyond that milestone, the movie reportedly set multiple opening weekend records and achieved the highest cinema attendance seen this year.
The journey to cinemas began with advance screenings held on December 10 and December 11, before the official nationwide release on December 12. The early showings helped build momentum, translating into packed theatres once the film officially opened to the public.
Celebrating the achievement online, the distributor praised Nigerian moviegoers for their overwhelming support, crediting their turnout and word of mouth for the film’s rapid success. The message described Akindele as a consistent box office force and confirmed that Behind The Scenes is still screening in cinemas across the country.
This latest success further strengthens Funke Akindele’s reputation as one of Nollywood’s most bankable filmmakers. Her earlier project, Everybody Loves Jenifa, had already set a high bar by delivering the biggest opening weekend in the industry’s history, beating her own previous record established by A Tribe Called Judah, which opened with one hundred and thirteen million naira.
Everybody Loves Jenifa went on to draw over thirty eight thousand admissions, including advance screenings, and later became the highest grossing Nollywood film of all time. The movie earned more than one point eight billion naira in Nigeria alone, with additional income from international markets. After crossing the one billion naira mark in late December 2024, it remained in cinemas into early 2025, attracting massive audiences and setting new standards for West African cinema.
With Behind The Scenes now adding another major chapter to her record, Funke Akindele continues to shape box office history, reinforcing her place at the forefront of the Nigerian film industry.
