by Chidinma Nnaoma
In what can only be described as historic for the Nigerian Movie Industry, Netflix a movie streaming company has purchased the worldwide rights to produce the movie, Lionheart. This will make it the company’s first original film from Nigeria.
The movie Lionheart is the brainchild of veteran actor, Genevieve Nnaji starring top actors in Nollywood. Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie and Onyeka Onwenu. Nnaji will double as the Director of the movie.
The movie is in the comedy category.
Netflix in the past licensed Nollywood movies; The Wedding Party and October 1 but this was after their screening in local cinemas.
The Nigerian Movie Industry aka Nollywood grew to become the second biggest movie industry in the world by volume without emphasis on quality. However, in recent years the industry is evolving to improve quality production thereby earning local and international screening at box offices.
Though there are challenges of piracy, distribution, the industry has continued to evolve and improve with major investments from South Africa’s Multichoice, the owners of Africa Magic channels on Digital Satellite Television (DSTV). They have invested millions of dollars in the industry with success stories for individual and creatives in the industry.
iROKOtv now dubbed as the Netflix of Africa is gaining grounds with the streaming of Nollywood contents already showing in different parts of Africa and Europe.
Genevieve Nnaji is known to have produced the movie Road to Yesterday with an award at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. With this recent acquisition by Netflix, it then means that Lionheart has become part of the Netflix $8 billion for the production of original movies.
