Muyiwa Ademola’s ‘Ori: The Rebirth’ grosses N97.8 million in opening weekend 

Produced and directed by veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker Muyiwa Ademola, alongside Adekola Tijani and Tope Adebayo Salami, the film officially opened in cinemas on May 1, 2025.

It garnered N19.5 million on its first day alone.

Over the weekend spanning May 2 to May 4, box office reports show it sold tickets worth N78.3 million, bringing its total to just under N100 million.

The movie, a reimagining of Ademola’s 2004 award-winning film Ori (which means “Fate”), unseated the film Sinners from its Sunday lead for the first time since that film’s release.

On Sunday alone, Ori: The Rebirth grossed N39.3 million compared to Sinners’ N33.7 million. However, Sinners retained its position as the highest-grossing film for the overall weekend.

Ademola, known for his roles and contributions to Yoruba-language cinema, has publicly stated that he invested over N400 million in producing Ori: The Rebirth. In interviews, he described the film as a labor of love and expressed confidence in its storytelling and cultural resonance. “I believe people will connect with the movie,” he said, urging public support to help the film reach profitability.

Ori: The Rebirth explores themes of destiny, spirituality, and sacrifice. It tells the mystical story of Bisade, whose sudden death is orchestrated by a malevolent cult led by Yeye Fernandez. As the narrative unfolds, Temidun, a central character, is revealed to be the prophesied savior of a man marked for ritual sacrifice. The film draws on Yoruba cosmology and features a heavy symbolic undertone around fate and consciousness.

Ori: The Rebirth now stands as a strong contender for a box office run that could rival the biggest local films of the year.