Director Adeoluwa Owu has confirmed that a sequel to ‘The Griot’, one of Netflix’s breakout Nigerian titles, is officially in development — and this time, he says the story will lean even deeper into its Nigerian roots.
“We’re not even worried about which platform will take it,” Owu told Nollywire in an interview. “I know it’s going to be a hit. And this time, it’s going to be properly Nigerian.”
The announcement is part of Owu’s larger 2025 plans at Dezy Films and marks a significant moment for the original film’s legacy. Released in 2021, ‘The Griot’ made waves as the second most-watched Nigerian title on Netflix in 2022. It earned widespread attention for its storytelling despite being an independently funded production with limited resources.
Owu revealed that the original team had no distribution deal in place during production. “We didn’t even know [a Netflix release] was a possibility,” he said. “I actually printed out the Netflix guidelines and just tried to follow everything — from camera specs to sound quality. We maxed out the little equipment we had.”
That methodical approach paid off. The film’s post-launch success on Netflix caught the attention of audiences and other filmmakers in Nollywood and helped solidify Owu’s reputation as a director capable of delivering globally viable stories on lean budgets, leading him to helm a number of high-flying titles, including box office record-breaking ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ and more recently ‘Owambe Thieves’.
Now, with ‘The Griot 2’ in active development, Owu is looking to build on that momentum — this time with more control and cultural precision. “The main characters are written in,” he confirmed. “It’s a continuation, not a spin-off. It’s carrying the old stories into the new.”
While plot specifics remain under wraps, Owu’s emphasis on authenticity reflects a broader trend in Nollywood: a move toward local stories told with global quality. “What I want to do with this sequel”, he said, “is tell our stories without diluting them.”
‘The Griot’ starred Adedimeji Lateef, Goodness Emmanuel, Temiloluwa Fosudo, Oladapo Gbadamos, Funsho Adeolu, Adekunle Afod and Yewande Adekoya.
