‘It Is A Big Blow, Projects Were Cancelled’ – Kunle Afolayan Confirms Netflix Halting Of Nigerian Content

‘It Is A Big Blow, Projects Were Cancelled’ – Kunle Afolayan Confirms Netflix Halting Of Nigerian Content

Nollywood producer cum actor, Kunle Afolayan, has confirmed that internationally renowned streaming platform, Netflix has stopped commissioning Nigerian original content.
the filmmaker made this known at the 2024 Zuma International Film Festival in Abuja.
Kunle Afolayan said that Netflix’s management had informed filmmakers during a recent party that they would no longer fund Nigerian movies.
Describing the latest development as a big blow, the filmmaker said it would significantly affect the income of producers who invest heavily in filmmaking.
According to Afolayan, he was lucky to have completed seasons two and three of the Anikulapo series, but some filmmakers got their projects cancelled.
He urged filmmakers to continue producing high-quality content regardless of the challenges posed by Netflix.
He said, “They invited our filmmakers to a party. But before then they had spoken to people they had been dealing with, saying ‘Look, we are pulling out’. What you might call a fatal last supper. Things like that should provoke us because if you do not have challenges like that you cannot see opportunities. We cannot rely on them anymore.
“Whatever it is you do if you make a conscious effort to be intentional when it comes to the kind of content that you make, the world will seek. The world will find you. The work will speak for itself.
“I think we should continue what we do. Whether it is in English, Ibibio, or any native language. As long as the story has universal appeal and then the production value is highly considered, you will get on several platforms.
“Coming to Netflix. It is heartbreaking. It is a big blow for us. In my head, I have been thinking about how can we go from earning dollars in films to now thinking about where we will put our films.
“Three years ago, when we signed a three-film deal with Netflix. It was like we were given a contract that in the next three years, we really do not care if you work for other people or do other things, make one film for us per year on being creative because these things are guaranteed and you have funds to make them. The budget you are being given is primarily tied to what they are getting in Nigeria.
“Thank God we have shot seasons two and three of Anikulapo. Because all the other people who were commissioned at the same time as us, their projects were cancelled.”