I would have shot Queen Lateefah 4 years ago – Wumi Toriola on filmmaking struggle

• Wumi Toriola has opened up on the issues she had to deal with before the success of her film, ‘Queen Lateefah.’
• The film was one of the highest-grossing Nigerian films of 2024 and Toriola’s debut into cinema.
• In a recent interview, Toriola revealed that the journey to making ‘Queen Lateefah’ was not void of setbacks.

Famous Nigerian actress cum filmmaker, Wumi Toriola has shared the stumbling blocks she encountered prior the success of her film, ‘Queen Lateefah.’

Queen Lateefah is Wumi Toriola’s debut cinematic film and it went on to become one of the highest-grossing Nigerian films of 2024, earning N365.4 million and 7 records at the box office.

Speaking in an interview with The Nation, the actress and mother of one revealed that the journey to making ‘Queen Lateefah’ was not void of challenges, as she encountered quite her share of disappointments and delays before finally bringing the project to life. She shared:

“I would have shot ‘Queen Lateefah’ four years ago, but it didn’t happen. I had hitchhiked with my story, and I wasn’t completely satisfied, so I kept rewriting it. I faced disappointments, but what I’ve learned is that whenever you come out, just come out well. The place of preparation was helpful for me.”

Despite the obstacles, the actress is now celebrating the film’s overwhelming success, acknowledging that the long wait and meticulous preparation ultimately paid off.
Looking ahead to 2025, the Filmmaker hinted at bigger projects and major collaborations. She disclosed:

“We are expecting something huge—more collaborations, but in a big way.”

With ‘Queen Lateefah’ setting a high bar, Wumi Toriola also expressed the pressure of surpassing her record. She said:

“It makes me feel great and at the same time gives me a lot of responsibility, because one will want to get better. Beating that record is a lot of responsibility.”