Funke Akindele’s ‘Behind the Scenes’ Crosses ₦500M as Newcomer ‘Oversabi Aunty’ Makes Big Splash

Holiday Box Office Sees Nollywood Take Center Stage

Funke Akindele continues to assert her dominance in Nollywood. Just two weeks after its cinema release, her latest film, Behind the Scenes, has surpassed ₦500 million at the Nigerian box office, setting a new benchmark for speed and audience appeal in the local film industry.

Data from FilmOne Entertainment and the Nigerian Box Office shows the movie has earned ₦514 million, making it the fastest Nollywood title to hit the half-billion-naira mark. The milestone underscores the strong appetite for locally produced stories, particularly during the festive season when cinemas see a surge in viewers.

Adding excitement to the holiday box office, newcomer Oversabi Aunty made a strong debut, taking second place and proving that fresh voices in Nollywood can immediately capture audience attention. International blockbusters such as Avatar 3 also featured in the top rankings, reflecting a competitive mix of domestic and global content.

Nigerian Cinemas Thrive with ₦3.48 Billion Box Office Haul in Q1 2025

Weekend Box Office (Dec 19–21, 2025)

• Behind the Scenes: ₦176.1M / ₦514.9M (Week 2)
• Oversabi Aunty: ₦87.8M / ₦100.5M (New)
• Avatar 3: ₦78.8M / ₦89.3M (New)
• A Very Dirty Christmas: ₦13.6M / ₦27.6M
• Zootopia 2: ₦13.5M / ₦85.3M (Week 4)
• Now You See Me 3: ₦5.2M / ₦191.6M (Week 6)

The film tells the story of Aderonke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran, a successful real estate entrepreneur whose generosity begins to affect her personal life, exploring themes of responsibility, boundaries, and self-sacrifice.

The movie’s success comes amid rising production costs, with Akindele previously revealing a budget exceeding ₦1 billion. Its rapid box office climb signals a growing audience for stories that resonate across Nigeria and neighboring Ghana, where the film is also being screened in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, and Accra.

Opening weekend momentum set multiple records, with over ₦200 million generated from 34,548 tickets. Advance screenings contributed ₦27.2 million, the highest ever for a Nollywood title, while early UK showings sold out with over 1,550 admissions.