The Rise Of Themed Film Premieres In Nigeria

When themed movie premieres crept into the Nigerian movie industry a few years ago, it was a full-on love-at-first-sight tale between film enthusiasts and the premieres.

Premiers which became more popular last year is fast becoming an expectation. That is why when the trailer of a movie is released almost everyone wants to know, ‘What day is the premiere?’ This was not always the expectation regarding Nollywood movies in the past.

The themed movie fever became popular with The Wedding Party 2 premiere which held on the 10th of December,2017 with the theme ‘Arabian Night’.

RMD at the world premiere of The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai

Social media platforms couldn’t stomach their interests: Instagram encouraged movie premiere with supportive hashtags and comments, Snapchat commanded all to burn their data and power banks to the cause of the premiere, Twitter fired hard with lots of criticisms: Why will we have themes such as Met Gala (Oceans 8 Nigerian premiere by IMAX Cinema) and ‘Gangster Royalty’ (King of Boys) in a Nigerian setting?

The fact remains, either if people love or hate premiers, we were interested or perhaps curious even. Recently, EbonyLife TV premiered its all-star studded film, Chief Daddy with the theme ‘Opulently Nigerian: Be Extra’.

It wasn’t just opulently Nigerian that intrigued celebrities and their designers but also the be extra: only two words of three syllables and EbonyLife TV delivered a submission to style and the fashion industry at large. With elegance, heavy fabrics and great discomfort (one suspects), media personality Toke Makinwa knows what opulently Nigeria means.

The agbada-icon, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, known for his notorious ways of out-dressing celebrants and media personality Denola Grey also made the premier memorable both in Deco.

Ebuka was covered with a heavy wrap thrown over the shoulders and heavy coral beads; he made it known that his look was inspired by the Obi of Onitsha. If you are looking for a northern prince, Denola is your man with his hands full of jewellery and fabric.

This year, the movie industry converged in Lagos with jackets hanging loosely off their shoulders as Kemi Adetiba’s movie King of Boys premiered with the theme ‘Gangster Royalty’.

The king of boys herself, Sola Sobowale was gallant in a green number by ANJY Luminee Couture Limited channelling the Cocaine Godmother- Griselda Blanco.

Before that, the industry skinned dozens of birds (literarily) as it celebrated the Oceans 8 premiere with the theme Met Gala. The spirits had also demanded thigh-high slits and flamboyant hats.

Earlier this year, we also had the #WakandaFever when Black Panther premiered in Lagos with the theme ‘African Royalty’.

Movie premiers are becoming a fad in Nollywood as they serve the function of publicity for the movie and the cast. It’s a win-win situation that has come to stay in Nigeria.