Muyiwa Ademola’s Ori: The Rebirth has crossed a major milestone at the Nigerian box office, grossing N315.8 million within just four weeks of release.
The indigenous Yoruba-language film, which premiered on May 1, has become one of the top-grossing Nollywood titles of the year, underlining a renewed audience appetite for culturally grounded storytelling.
Data from the Nigerian Box Office shows that the film earned N262.7 million in its first three weeks and added another N30.7 million in its fourth week.
Over the weekend of May 16–18 alone, the film brought in N40 million, maintaining its strong momentum even amid competition from international titles.
Ori: The Rebirth is a spiritual sequel to Ademola’s 2004 classic Ori, which won Best Indigenous Film at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005. In this modern reimagining, Ademola not only returns as director but also co-produces the project alongside Adekola Tijani and Tope Adebayo Salami.
The film explores themes of fate, sacrifice, and Yoruba cosmology through a narrative that follows Bisade, a man whose life and death are manipulated by a secret cult. After his untimely death, orchestrated by the mysterious Yeye Fernandez, Bisade finds himself in a metaphysical realm, where he must uncover the truth about his destiny and existence.
In an earlier interview, Ademola revealed he personally invested over N400 million into the production, a high-stakes bet that appears to be paying off. The film debuted with an impressive N97.8 million during its opening weekend, including N19.5 million on its first day alone, making it one of the strongest opening weekends for a Nigerian film this year.
What to know
The movie’s commercial success signals more than just box office figures — it reflects a growing enthusiasm for Nigerian stories rooted in tradition, identity, and spirituality. Its performance also demonstrates that audiences are willing to support big-budget indigenous films when given compelling narratives and high production quality.
The film’s success comes alongside the strong debut of My Mother is a Witch, a supernatural drama directed by Niyi Akinmolayan. The film earned N26.3 million in its opening week and currently stands at N34.6 million. Starring Efe Irele and Mercy Aigbe, it explores the complex relationship between a mother and daughter amid unresolved trauma and cultural expectations.
With Ori: The Rebirth continuing its upward trajectory, it reaffirms the vitality and market power of Yoruba-language cinema in Nollywood’s evolving landscape.
