Romantic Drama Reigns Supreme: ‘It Ends With Us’ Tops N64.6M in 2024

The Hollywood romance film, It Ends With Us, has shattered Nigerian box office records, grossing an impressive N64.6 million. Distributed by FilmOne, the movie continues to captivate audiences, who are encouraged to ‘head to the cinema and fall in love all over again,’ as shared by the company on X (formerly Twitter).

Directed by Justin Baldoni and based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, It Ends With Us hit theaters on August 9, 2024. The film tells the emotionally charged story of Lily, a young woman seeking to escape a traumatic past as she embarks on a new romance. However, her journey takes a dark turn when she begins to recognize troubling patterns in her relationship.  

The film’s powerful narrative is brought to life by a star-studded cast, including Blake Lively, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, Justin Baldoni, Kevin McKidd, and Hasan Minhaj. With a production budget of $25 million, It Ends With Us has far exceeded expectations, generating 13.8 times its initial investment.

The film’s Nigerian debut was equally successful, grossing N8.7 million in its opening weekend and increasing by 10% in its second weekend to reach N9.6 million. This year, Hollywood movies have contributed N2.32 billion to the Nigerian box office revenue, accounting for 49.95% of the market.

Beyond the Nigerian market, It Ends With Us has made a substantial impact globally. The film grossed approximately $80 million worldwide during its opening weekend, outperforming Deadpool & Wolverine. As of now, the film has brought in a combined total of $242 million domestically and internationally, surpassing the lifetime global earnings of other popular female-driven literary adaptations like The Girl on the Train, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Crazy Rich Asians. However, it still faces competition from previous blockbuster romance adaptations, such as Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey.