Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has said he once told people that his Netflix hit film Anikulapo which has been confirmed for a series would be bigger than the HBO show Game of Thrones.
In an interview with the Guardian UK, published on Friday, Kunle spoke about the production of Anikulapo and success it has enjoyed since its release.
He said: “I’ve been working on Aníkúlápó for six years. Originally, I wanted to make a series but I shopped it and kept telling people that this movie would be bigger than Game of Thrones. Eventually, Netflix told me to make a movie first since I believed in the project that much and if it became a success, we’d develop a series.”
“Right now, Netflix is the one urging me to start making the series. I knew we made a great film and that it’d start conversations, but I didn’t know it’d do as well as it has done,” the filmmaker added.
Set in the 17th century Oyo Kingdom, Anikulapo centers on the story of Saro, a young cloth weaver, who is brought back to life by a mystical bird after he was beaten to death for having an affair with Arolake, the Alaafin’s youngest wife.
The movie stars Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, Sola Sobowale, Taiwo Hassan, Adebayo Salami, Dele Odule, Yinka Quadri, Faithia Williams, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Mr Macaroni, Sunday Omobolanle, Toyin Afolayan, Kareem Adepoju and Hakeem Kae-Kazim.