Nollywood has revived one of its popular action movie franchises as ‘Issakaba: The Return’ makes its way back to cinemas across Nigeria, 25 years after the first instalment premiered.
Titiansloaded reports that the film’s director, Lancelot Imasuen, announced its nationwide cinema release through his Instagram account on Friday, celebrating the return of the production to the big screen.
Imasuen described the sequel as the revival of a legendary film series and encouraged audiences to experience the new production in cinemas.
Veteran actor Sam Dede returns as Ebube, the feared leader of the fictional Issakaba Boys, reprising the character that became closely associated with the original movie.
The sequel also brings together established Nollywood stars and a new generation of performers, including Chidi Mokeme, Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Chiwetalu Agu, Alex Osifo, Charles Okafor, Nosa Rex and Mark Angel.
Imasuen, who directed the original production, also takes charge of the new instalment, which revisits the activities of the vigilante group while exploring its relevance within present-day Nigerian society.
The original ‘Issakaba’ premiered in 2001 and drew inspiration from the Bakassi Boys, a vigilante organisation that gained prominence in south-eastern Nigeria through its campaign against criminal activities.
The group and its controversial methods provided the foundation for the original film’s storyline, which became one of the notable action productions of its era.
Distributed by Blue Pictures, ‘Issakaba: The Return’ combines familiar faces from the original franchise with newer talents, bringing the long-running movie series to a fresh audience.
