Iyalode: Toyin Abraham’s New Epic Set For Cinemas -

Toyin Abraham is set to return to the big screen with Iyalode, a Yoruba-language epic distributed by FilmOne Entertainment. Coming just months after her December 2024 box office success with Alakada: Bad and Boujee, this latest project confirms Abraham’s sustained momentum as one of Nollywood’s leading commercial voices.

Iyalode opens in cinemas nationwide on June 6, 2025, with a premiere event scheduled at Filmhouse IMAX, Lekki. The premiere is expected to draw key figures across Nollywood, celebrating the film’s deep cultural roots and theatrical ambition. With dialogue entirely in Yoruba, the film pushes further into the space of indigenous-language storytelling, a space that continues to prove its viability in the Nigerian box office and beyond.

Anchored by an ensemble cast that includes Kehinde Bankole, Wale Ojo, and Muyiwa Ademola, the film offers a narrative that is both character-led and action-driven. Abraham steps into a role unlike her previous comedic or romantic parts, taking on a dramatic character shaped by power, tradition, and resistance. The shift in tone signals an effort to stretch not just her own filmography but also expectations around women-led period pieces in Nollywood.

The project also aligns with FilmOne Entertainment’s growing investment in local-language films. With a strategy that blends theatrical and international releases, the company continues to position Nigerian stories within wider markets. Its backing of Iyalode fits into a pipeline that values regional depth as much as global appeal. This move is especially notable as the company balances titles from major Hollywood studios with local projects that reflect cultural specificity.

As Nigerian cinema increasingly leans into multilingual storytelling, Iyalode arrives at a time when audiences are demanding more rooted, yet commercially viable, content. The film’s June release places it firmly in the mid-year calendar as one to watch not only for Toyin Abraham fans but also for viewers interested in how traditional narratives can be reimagined for the big screen.