By Josephine Agbonkhese

Highly anticipated action-comedy movie, ‘The Waiter’, is set for its cinematic release on Friday, 20th December, 2024.

Created by Corporate World Entertainment, ‘The Waiter’ is a concept of AY Films, directed by Toka McBaror and produced by renowned comedian cum actor, Ayodeji ‘AY’ Makun, the Chief Executive Officer of Corporate World Entertainment.

Speaking in Lagos, yesterday, during an Exhibitors Luncheon organised ahead of the movie’s debut coming up December 20th, 2024, AY said the movie would pitch his recurring character ‘Akpos’; which has featured in previous productions such as ‘30 Days in Atlanta’, ‘Christmas in Miami’ and ‘Trip to Jamaica’, in the lens of authentic Nigerian stories.

“It has been a long time coming for the AY brand and, of course, the ‘Akpos’ brand. The character ‘Akpos’ has been touring different countries in past productions– Jamaica, Atlanta, Miami and South Africa. We took a decision to bring the character back home with ‘The Waiter’.

“The decision was to get the home quality and content and relate it to our story. We have a very beautiful story,” said Makun.

“This movie is laced with quality, it is laced with action, with emotional situations that we can all relate to, and a lot of the things that we are going through in this country,” he added.

Makun commented on the historic co-distribution agreement between Genesis Pictures and Silverbird Distribution for ‘The Waiter’, acknowledging it as a step in the right direction for the Nigerian film industry.

More industry powerhouses, he argued, should favour synergy as a means of further etching Nollywood on the global stage.

“We have witnessed something that has never happened in the history of the movie industry— where you would have two distribution companies come together as one to push a particular title. We are in an age and time of collaboration, and it is something that will collectively move us forward as individuals and as an industry,” he noted.

Speaking on his experience in putting together the movie, McBaror said: “The Waiter required a lot of mental, physical and financial commitment. After reading the script, I told the team that if we were doing this script, we would have to be ready to go all the way. We were able to make this film and I am excited about it.

“Basically, it is quite different from everything I have done. I have made some movies in the past, but ‘The Waiter’ is very special. There’s something about it, about the pace, the delivery of the actors and the vibe that the film gives.”

Film Producer, Darlington Abuda, noted that the film touched on very relatable issues in society, and provided suitable viewing for a diverse audience, sparking important conversations and reflections.

The movie boasts an exceptional cast including headline Nollywood names such as Regina Daniels, Deyemi Okanlawan, Shaffy Bell, Williams Uchemba, Toke Makinwa, Richard Mofe-Damijo, and AY Makun.