Funke Akindele’s ‘The Four’ Gets CNN Spotlight Ahead of December Release

Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has received international media attention for her forthcoming movie, The Four: No One Fights Alone, after CNN featured the production in a report examining her career and influence on the African film industry.

The CNN feature, published on November 4, comes ahead of the film’s scheduled global cinema release on December 11, 2026. It describes the production as Akindele’s eighth major theatrical feature and highlights her growing commercial success as a filmmaker.

The Four: No One Fights Alone tells the story of four women who come together to fight for the future of a young man they love. The drama explores relationships, friendship, loyalty and the challenges the women encounter as their journey unfolds between a community and the city.

Akindele told CNN’s Larry Madowo that her approach to filmmaking is rooted in telling Nigerian and African stories that local audiences can relate to while maintaining standards that appeal to viewers around the world.

“I tell the Nigerian or the African stories that people can sit back, relate to, but I make sure it’s a global standard,” she said.

The film features an ensemble cast that includes Akindele, Bisola Aiyeola, Chioma Akpotha, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Timini Egbuson, Lateef Adedimeji, Ali Nuhu, Uzor Arukwe, Ronke Oshodi-Oke and Wunmi Toriola. Singer Waje and Afrobeats artiste Shoday are also part of the production.

Produced by Funke Akindele Network and distributed by FilmOne Entertainment, the movie is expected to open in cinemas globally on December 11.

CNN’s report also highlighted Akindele’s recent box-office achievements. Her 2025 film, Behind the Scenes, generated more than ₦2 billion, becoming the first Nollywood production to cross that threshold, according to the report.

Her 2023 movie, A Tribe Called Judah, also made history as the first Nollywood film to reach ₦1 billion in cinema earnings. CNN further described her as the first African filmmaker whose films topped the Nigerian box office for three consecutive years.

Despite her commercial success, Akindele identified distribution as one of the major challenges facing African filmmakers seeking to reach international audiences.

“Our major barrier is distribution,” she told CNN, advocating stronger partnerships and collaboration with filmmakers across the world to improve access to technology, production expertise and international markets.

The filmmaker, who began her acting career in 1998 and has appeared in more than 100 films, also expressed her desire to create opportunities for women and other creatives to develop their skills and have their voices heard.

With the December release approaching, The Four: No One Fights Alone adds to Akindele’s growing catalogue of cinema productions and her efforts to position Nigerian stories before a wider global audience.