Funke Akindele has done it again, and at this point, it almost feels like history repeating itself—except the records keep getting bigger. Behind the Scenes, her most recent film, officially became the first Nollywood film to reach ₦200 million in its opening weekend in 2025, solidifying her position as one of the most lucrative personalities in the business. The movie’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, verified the revelation on Monday afternoon, and the news quickly went viral on social media.
Before its official nationwide theatrical release on December 12, the movie had advance screenings on December 10 and 11. Based only on the numbers, it was evident that moviegoers were more than prepared. In addition to surpassing ₦200 million in a single weekend, Behind the Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, became the biggest opening of 2025 thus far, and scored the highest weekend admissions of the year with an astounding 34,548 tickets sold, according to FilmOne. Such a turnout is not accidental.
In a message posted on its Facebook site, FilmOne Entertainment commemorated the achievement and praised the movie as well as the viewers who helped make it happen. “There’s a reason we refer to her as the Queen of Box Office! We appreciate you coming, packing theaters, and spreading the word, Nigeria. Behind the Scenes became the greatest opening of 2025, breaking five opening-weekend records and surpassing ₦200 million in a single weekend! This was made possible by your affection,” the message said. To be honest, there were Nigerians present.
One of the things driving the film’s success is its strong ensemble cast. Behind the Scenes stars Scarlet Gomez in the lead role, alongside Iyabo Ojo, Funke Akindele herself, Destiny Etiko, and Tobi Bakre. The lineup also includes Uche Montana, Uzor Arukwe, Ini Dima-Okojie, Adebowale “Mr Macaroni,” Ibrahim Chatta, Kamo State, and reality TV stars Handi and Wanni Danbaki, among others. It’s a mix of familiar faces and fresh energy that works well together on screen.
Fundamentally, the film is a comedy-drama that exposes the chaos that frequently accompanies filmmaking. It examines betrayal, ambition, ego conflicts, and the psychological cost of pursuing achievement in a field that rarely slows down. Beyond just being entertaining, Behind the Scenes explores deeper issues like pressure, healing, hidden truths, and societal realities like Black tax and self-sacrifice, especially through characters like the prosperous businessman Aderonke “Ronky-Fella” Faniran. It is dramatic, thoughtful, and relevant without being forced.
As Nigerians celebrated the milestone, fellow Nollywood actors also shared their excitement. Tobi Bakre took to X to thank fans, saying, “Thanks to you guys! Opening weekend was good! Let’s make this week even better, my beautiful people!” The energy around the film feels communal, like a shared win for the industry.
Iyalode, which previously held the record for the best opening weekend at the Nigerian box office with ₦138.41 million, has been officially dethroned by Behind The Scenes. According to the Nigerian Box Office, the movie’s preview screenings had already brought in ₦27.2 million before its opening weekend.
This latest success comes after her December 2024 release, Everybody Loves Jenifa, which went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood movie ever, shattering records throughout West Africa and earning ₦1.8 billion in Nigeria alone. With Behind the Scenes, Funke Akindele demonstrates once more that history is almost certain to follow her when she enters theaters.
