Nigerian 'John Wick' movie cost £823k to make but has smashed Netflix records
A gripping Nigerian action thriller shining a light on corruption and police brutality in Africa's most populous country has smashed Netflix viewing records worldwide.
The Black Book has taken the streaming platform by storm, remaining in its top 10 English-language titles globally for three weeks, even reaching No. 3 in its second week. Just 48 hours after its release on September 22, it had already been viewed 5.6 million times. By its second week, it was among the top 10 titles in 69 countries, according to Netflix.
Producer Editi Effiong told The Associated Press (AP): "Films are made for audiences, and the bigger the audience for a film, the better the chances of your message going out. The reality for us is that we made a film, made by Nigerians, funded by Nigerian money, go global."
Nollywood, Nigeria's film industry, has been making waves globally since the 1990s. It gained fame with films such as Living in Bondage and Kunle Afolayan's Anikulapo, released in 2022, which peaked at No. 1 on Netflix's global chart. Producing an average of 2,000 movies annually, it's the world's second-largest film industry after India, based on the number of productions. Nollywood's latest hit, The Black Book is a $1 million (£823k) movie, financed with the help of a team of experts and founders from Nigeria's tech ecosystem and is Effiong's first feature film.
The film covers Nigeria's turbulent history, spanning over 40 years from the time when military regimes freely killed and arrested critics to today, where police brutality and misuse of power are still commonplace. The movie begins with the kidnapping of the family members of the head of the Nigerian oil regulatory agency, assisted by corrupt coppers working for top politicians.
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To hide their actions, the police murder a young lad, wrongly accused as the kidnapper, not realising he was the only son of a former special operative who had swapped his weapons for the church. In his heyday, the character of ex-officer-turned-pastor Paul Edima - played by Nigerian film legend Richard Mofe-Damijo - was known as Nigeria's 'most dangerous man', with a past filled with assassinations and involvement in several coups across West Africa.
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Shown as a changed man who has turned over a new leaf after being inspired by his favourite Bible passage 1 Corinthians 5:17, Edima feels forced to seek revenge for his son's death after failing to convince authorities of his son's innocence. The problem of delayed justice is not new in Nigeria. Many on Friday remembered the deadly protests of 2020 when young Nigerians demonstrating against police brutality were shot at and killed. Three years later, rights groups say many victims of police abuse still haven't gotten justice.
Edima is on a mission for justice for his son, hunting down the officers responsible for his death, leading him to his former boss, an army general. "It is a fictional narrative but this is what Nigeria was," Effiong shared with AP.
Effiong feels that Nigeria isn't doing well in teaching its history in schools and helping youngsters understand how the past shapes the present. "A society must be changed positively by art, and so there was an orientation on our part to, through the film we are going to make, reflect on this issue (of police brutality)," he said.
While a government panel investigated the 2020 protest shootings in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, Effiong attended its meetings and provided live updates on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. Meanwhile, pre-production for the movie had already started.
"We must tell the truth in spite of the circumstances," he stated. "Justice is important for everyone: the people we like and the people we do not like - especially the people we do not like," he added.
Some reckon the movie's plot is akin to the American action thriller John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves. Effiong finds this comparison surprising but flattering, and a testament to the film's success. The film has been hailed as a symbol of the potential of Nigeria's and Africa's film industry. A recent report from Digital TV Research predicts that the continent's streaming on-demand video (SVOD) market will grow to 18 million subscribers, up from 8 million this year.
A Netflix spokesperson said: "Africa has great talent and world-class creatives, and we are committed to investing in African content and telling African stories of every kind," according to their statement.
In Nigeria, Effiong believes the movie industry is at a stage where it demands global attention. He stated: "The Black Book is a film by Black people, Black actors, Black producers, Black money 100 per cent, and it's gone ahead to become a global blockbuster."
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'A masterpiece ... glued to the screen from the first scene'
YouTubers were quick to sing Black Book's praises.
@marcietownsend3635: "I saw this movie and want to see it again. I respect the grittiness and admitting to layers of corruption and grief from broken families."
@iflamesmedia1857: "I've always believed that Nollywood would eventually have its big break into competing with mainstream movies."
@omalichaDidi: "Amazing! A must watch. Well acted #1 move from Nigeria. I just saw this moviee - the joy inside my head is exploding".
@Jerry_Mushala: "I am a filmmaker from Tanzania, representing my fellow countrymen. We acknowledge and embrace this work as a masterpiece."
@LifestyleWithHaddassah: "Just started watching this … and I’m so proud of how much better the Nigerian movie industry is doing. So good I’ve been glued to the screen from the first scene."
@SamuelObafemi: "This is amazing! The cast roster, the cinematography, the lighting .... This looks good."
@OneEyedLion: "It was well written, and the acting was superb."
@dammylawal9594: "This is awesome. The lighting and cinematography!"
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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