Nigeria Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Skepta has teamed up with Idris Elba and Odumodublvck to create ‘Jangrova’, the first song from the Tribal Mark soundtrack. Check out the single below.Released yesterday (January 19), ‘Jangrova’ sees Skepta, Idris Elba and Odumodublvck rap in English and Nigerian Pidgin.

Jaden Thompson The complete program for the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival has been announced. Taking place from Feb. 7-17, the festival will open with the world premiere of the documentary “Madu,” directed by Matt Ogens and Joel ‘Kachi Benson.

Brent Lang Executive Editor WhatsApp and Giannis Antetokounmpo are teaming up to release“Ugo: A Homecoming Story,” an original documentary that takes fans along as the Greek-Nigerian NBA superstar returns to Nigeria for the first time. The film is directed by Rick Famuyiwa, the filmmaker behind “Dope” and “The Mandalorian,” and will be available to view on YouTube and in select markets on Prime Video starting Jan. 16.

BreAnna Bell Amazon MGM Studios has signed an exclusive first-look TV and film deal with “Lizzo’s Watch Out For the Big Grrrls” Director Nneka Onuorah, the studio announced on Tuesday. “Nneka has a track record of crafting stories that excite, intrigue, and inspire,” said Vernon Sanders, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of television. “This is a process we’ve been fortunate to experience firsthand, and we cannot wait to reignite our professional relationship under this formal deal.” Onuorah won the Primetime Emmy award for outstanding directing for a reality program for Prime Video’s “Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls” in September 2022.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has signed an exclusive first-look series and film deal with Emmy-winning director Nneka Onuorah.

Anna Marie de la Fuente With the exception of Nigeria’s Nollywood, which produces an average of 2,500 films a year, Africa’s “potential as a film powerhouse remains largely untapped” despite great strides in production, according to a Unesco report. Brazil’s Spcine, the city of São Paulo’s film-TV body, is hoping to change the status quo.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor From Hollywood strikes to the ascent of AI to sinking stock prices, 2023 was a topsy-turvy year for media and entertainment. Cynthia Littleton and Andrew Wallenstein, hosts of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” discuss the highs and lows of the past year on the latest episode.

The BBC‘s latest Agatha Christie adaptation concluded last night neck-and-neck in the ratings with ITV‘s Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? from over the Easter Weekend.

Once Christmas Day is out the way the festivities do not end across the UK. The following day, known as Boxing Day, is a bank holiday with many families using it to extend the celebration and spend more time together.

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa's journey to stardom hasn't been a walk in the park, as he's battled with depression and homelessness.The Rwandan-Scottish actor, who shot to fame on Netflix's Sex Education, has become the 14th Time Lord, following in the footsteps of Jodie Whittaker, David Tennant, and Matt Smith. But what's the story behind this 31 year old actor? Let's delve into his off-screen life, from his struggles with homelessness to his fight for privacy, breaking stereotypes and the question he's always asked. Born in Rwanda, Ncuti and his family moved to Scotland amidst the 1994 genocide.

Nearly 40 years after it topped the UK Christmas pop chart and made millions of pounds for charity, Band Aid’s charity anthem has come under fresh fire for its lyrics, which critics say perpetuate racist and patronising stereotypes of African people.

Agatha Christie would have approved of modern-day revisions to her written works, says her great-grandson James Pritchard.

Angelique Jackson The Paramount Pictures adaptation of the hit YA book “Children of Blood and Bone” is taking another step toward the big screen, with Gina Prince-Bythewood signing on to direct. Prince-Bythewood will develop the next pass of a draft penned by author Tomi Adeyemi. The action fantasy novel follows heroine Zélie Adebola, who belongs to a class of magic practicioners know as the maji, as she attempts to restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha, following the ruling class kosidáns’ brutal suppression of her people.

Murtada Elfadl Shot in dense, high-contrast black and white, writer-director C.J. “Fiery” Obasi’s “Mami Wata,” unspools like a mysterious dream. It’s both inscrutable and hypnotic, delivering indelible images while remaining narratively opaque.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The trailer has launched for Adar Shafran‘s drama-comedy “Running on Sand,” which is being sold worldwide by Picture Tree International, ahead of the Israeli film’s international premiere at Palm Springs Film Festival (Jan. 1 – 15). It is released in Israel on Thursday by United King Films.

EXCLUSIVE: Gersh Agency bosses have backed a new African streamer with a seven-figure investment.

Post-pandemic audiences are much more open to different cultures, thanks to streaming and exposure to new types of content, but some of the world’s biggest film industries are still figuring out how to adapt in a rapidly changing landscape, said speakers on the ‘Cinematic Crossovers’ panel in Red Sea Souk. 

YouTube has revealed the UK’s top 10 most-watched music videos of 2023.Earning the Number One spot on the annual list is Miley Cyrus‘ Grammy-nominated track ‘Flowers’. The video has 644 million views.‘Flowers’ debuted at Number One on the UK Singles chart as well as the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Cyrus’ second Number One song toping the chart since 2013’s ‘Wrecking Ball’. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart and stayed on top for thirteen non-consecutive weeks.The song was also the highest-earning song on Spotify in 2023.Following ‘Flowers’ is Central Cee and Dave’s hit ‘Sprinter’.

while making an appearance on Thursday. The couple posed for photos with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden during a gathering at Windsor Castle in England.This is their first appearance after Wednesday’s episode of “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” in which the British broadcaster revealed they were the ones whom Markle claimed questioned the skin color of her unborn son, Archie.Markle, 42, first made the claim during her March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

King Charles has given a strained four-word response amid the accusations made in Endgame regarding the royal racism row.

Another CBS TV show is coming to an end sooner than we anticipated: Bob Hearts Abishola will end with the upcoming fifth season.

Jaden Thompson Nigerian producer Mo Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife Media, has been helping to share the stories of African people through film and television for years — but never one written by her own hand. Until now, that is. Abudu made her screenwriting and directorial debut with the release of two short films honing in on mental health issues in Nigeria: “Her Perfect Life” and “Iyawo Mi” (“My Wife”).

Nas honoured his idol Rakim at the inaugural Paid In Full Foundation Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards.The hip-hop legend Rakim rose to fame as a part of the DJ-MC rap duo Eric B & Rakim in the 1980s, with the duo still highly regarded as one of the most influential and best duos in rap. The was honoured on Saturday (November 18) at the first-ever Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards.Nas was asked to honour the duo with a speech, and started his speech by rapping a couplet from Eric B & Rakim’s 1987 track ‘Paid In Full’: “Thinkin’ of a master plan / ‘Cause ain’t nothin’ but sweat inside my hand.” He then proceeded to say that the song “said, ‘I can make it [as a rapper]'” before lising Rakim, Doug E.

Burna Boy has announced that he is set to return to London Stadium for a show in June 2024.The Afrobeats star made history in June this year when he became the first-ever African artist to headline a UK stadium, where he brought out special guests Stormzy, Dave and J Hus.The Nigerian artist has announced now that he’ll be returning to London Stadium as part of his ‘I Told Them…Tour’ on Saturday, June 29, 2024 for a special performance alongside his band, The Outsiders.Tickets will go on sale this Friday (November 24) at 10am GMT from here or here. Alternatively, there will be a priority sale ahead of general release on Wednesday (November 22) from 10am GMT here.“London holds a special place in my heart, the energy and love from my fans here is unmatched,” said Burna Boy in a statement.

EXO’s Baekhyun, and NewJeans recently performed at this year’s League of Legends World Championship.Heartsteel – formed by EXO’s Baekhyun, Taiwanese-American rapper ØZI, Nigerian singer Tobi Lou and American musician Cal Scruby – and K-pop girl group NewJeans opened the annual League of Legends World Championship at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul yesterday (November 19)Heartsteel, in their first-ever live performance, took the stage first to perform their debut single ‘Paranoia’. “Every time you pop off / They hopin’ that you fall hard / They prayin’ for the death of a rockstar / Everybody hatin’ ever since you got more / They prayin’ for the death of a rockstar,” they sang, joined by their virtual counterparts on stage.NewJeans followed with a fiery performance of their song ‘Gods’, which is the official anthem for this year’s championships.

Manchester United were the club to join during much of Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year reign and it would have taken a brave man to turn the Scot down.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Thomas “Eromose” Ikimi, director of the Tribeca Film Festival player “88,” has been tapped to write a new drama about a fierce wildlife preservationist and activist. Eromose will write the screenplay for “Manaka,” a story inspired by the organization Saving the Wild and its founder Jamie Joseph. The Zimbabwean-born South African founded the charitable foundation to help protect rhinos from poaching, as well as to tell authentic stories about frontline workers protecting the species from going extinct.

The family of an aid worker shot dead when 'armed bandits' stormed a castle in Nigeria say they feel 'badly let down' and are still waiting for 'basic answers' over her death four and a half years ago - after a coroner ruled she was unlawfully killed.

EXCLUSIVE: Stephanie Beatriz and Costa Ronin are fronting a sci-fi series for online storytelling platform StoryCo, with Halo showrunner Kyle Killen attached.

EXCLUSIVE: The Gotham Group has signed Nigerian filmmaker C.J. Obasi, whose latest feature Mami Wata is Nigeria’s entry for Best International Feature Oscar in the 96th Academy Awards.