Hollywood blockbusters have taken over the Nigerian box office this summer, leaving Nollywood films struggling to keep pace. For the weekend of July 25-27, 2025, movies like ‘Fantastic Four’, ‘Superman’, and ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ claimed the top spots, while Nollywood’s biggest releases lagged behind in earnings.
‘Fantastic Four’ led the pack, earning N91.1 million over the weekend and reaching a cumulative total of N107.6 million as a new release. ‘Superman’, in its third week, added N39.7 million to its N338.9 million total. ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, now in its fourth week, grossed N12.1 million, bringing its total to N131.6 million. ‘F1 The Movie’ grossed N7.4 million in its fifth week, reaching N146.6 million overall.
These Hollywood films have drawn huge crowds, dominating the summer movie earnings in Nigeria.
After 13 weeks in West African cinemas, ‘Sinners’ wrapped up its theatrical run on Thursday, July 17, 2025 grossing N775.9 million and currently holds the position for the 5th highest-grossing film ever in this region before being adjusted for inflation.
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Nollywood films, however, have not matched this success. ‘Her Excellency’ earned N10 million over the weekend, with a four-week total of N95.2 million. ‘Freedom Way’, in its second week, made N8.1 million, totaling N22.3 million. These numbers pale in comparison to Hollywood’s totals. Even ‘Red Circle’, one of the summer’s most anticipated Nollywood films, has only grossed N115.9 million, falling short of expectations.
The gap between Hollywood and Nollywood at the Nigerian box office highlights a tough season for local filmmakers during the summer vacation. While Hollywood blockbusters continue to pull in large audiences with their global appeal, Nollywood struggles to compete.
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However Nollywood has put up a good fight in the year with ‘Iyalode’ as of June 22 topping weekend sales and grossing over N302.6 million in just three weeks. ‘Ori: The Rebirth’ also grossed N412.7 million after 9 weeks proving the local players as strong contenders so far this year.
As summer concludes, Hollywood’s current box office dominance prompts questions about future performance, especially given Nollywood’s typical stronghold in local box office sales during December and January.
