In its first week at the box office, Nigerian comedian Ayo Makun’s latest Nollywood film, ‘Christmas in Miami,’ raked in over US$ 245 000,00. According to estimates gathered by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CENA), the comedy film grossed a total of US$ 245 863,28 in its first seven days.
Over 49,000 viewers have seen the film in 61 locations since its December 24, 2021 release.
Christmas in Miami, directed by Robert Peters, stars AY, Richard Mofe-Damijo, and Osita Iheme as a family competing in the Intercontinental Christmas Fiesta on an exotic island in Miami against other families from diverse backgrounds.
The film had the best opening of any Nollywood film in 2021. It concluded the week second only to Disney’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which had a seven-day gross of US$ 420 677,69 and a total of US$ 1,1 million in Nigerian cinemas.
The Play Network Studios nostalgia project Aki and Pawpaw came in third place, grossing US$ 72 513,80 at the box office for a total of US$ 196 299,98 after two weeks of screening.
Christmas in Miami is the fourth instalment in the Akpos film series following 30 Days in Atlanta (US$ 398 947,96 in box office), A Trip to Jamaica (US$ 440 210,02), and 10 Days in Sun City (US$ 431 420,47).
With five films on the Top 15 list of the highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time, AY’s Merrymen: The Real Yoruba Demons nets a total of US$ 575 227,30 and Merry Men 2: Another Mission US$ 572 541,60.
Christmas in Miami has already climbed to 19th place with its opening week performance. Thus, will be aiming for the heights of Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto: The Saga, which became the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time in 2021 with a total box office return of US$ 1,5 million.
Omo Ghetto, which was released on December 25, 2020, grossed US$ 240 491,89 in its first week.
