June cinemas are set to be packed with promising Nollywood movies, continuing the trend from May. Some of the May releases have already broken box office records. For instance, “Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti” earned N71 million in just a few days. However, this success may be challenged by the upcoming June movies, which are previewed below.
HIGHER CRIMES
Higher Crimes follows the brave journey of Tife, a prominent blogger played by Enwongoabasi Ibom, who exposes the harrowing truth of a woman’s sexual assault. This revelation leads to a fierce legal battle with Jeffrey, a well-known philanthropist portrayed by Femi Branch. The film features a vibrant ensemble cast, including industry veterans like Branch, Bimbo Akintola, and Keppy Ekpenyong, alongside rising stars Ibom and Folashade Abimbola. Higher Crimes premieres June 14.
CRIMINAL
Set in a bustling Lagos hospital, Criminal captures the chaos as it deals with catastrophic accident victims. The hospital’s no-nonsense Medical Doctor faces a deadly dilemma when a dangerous criminal demands treatment for his critically injured brother. Directed by Dolapo Adigun, the movie premieres on May 31 and stars Funlla Aofitebu-Raimi, Gbubemu Ejeye, Segun Arinze, Taye Arimoro, Miriam Peters, and Uzor Arukwe
OFFSHOOT
Offshoot stars Kehinde Bankole, 2024 AMVCA Best Actress, alongside Bimbo Manuel, David Jones David, Gregory Ojefua, Ibrahim Suleiman, Kelechi Udegbe, Princess Nwogu, and Tomiwa Sage. The film, premiering on June 14, centres on Modesire Mbakwe, newly appointed Acting Head of Investigation and Operations of the NDA, who is determined to tackle the country’s drug problem. The movie follows her as she leads several successful raids, drawing the attention of a dangerous drug cartel.
LAKATABU: THE MONSTER
Though the synopsis for Lakatabu: The Monster is not yet available, the movie promises to be a hit based on its star-studded cast. The poster suggests it revolves around a notorious criminal. The film features Odunlade Adekola, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Dimeji, Bolanle Ninalowo, Tina Mba, and Broda Shaggi. However, there is some concern about the frequent use of the same actors. You can see this movie at cinemas starting on June 21.
DEAFENING SILENCE
Deafening Silence, presented by the Joint European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Foundation for Resilient Empowerment and Development (FRED), addresses the issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The film aims to raise awareness about gender social norms and the societal impact of GBV on women and girls. Directed by Emem Isong and produced by Biodun Stephen, it stars Toni Tones, Kate Henshaw, Femi Jacobs, Daniel Etim Effiong, Chidi Mokeme, and Bimbo Akintola. This movie premieres June 7.
