The CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, has announced October 7, 2022, as the theatrical release date for Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman.
The film is an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s play, Death and the King’s Horseman. It is set in the 1940s Oyo Empire and tells the story of Elesin Oba, the king’s chief horseman, who succumbs to the lure of beauty and sexual desire on the very evening he is set to die in order to fulfill his lifelong debt of ritual suicide to accompany the dead Alaafin to the realm of the ancestors. This derails him from a very important generational and spiritual transaction and sets in motion a series of catastrophic consequences.
Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman is produced in collaboration with Netflix. It is directed and adapted for the screen by Biyi Bandele (who passed away recently) and executive produced by Mo Abudu. Judith Audu, Adeola Osunkojo, James Amuta and Quinty Pillay are the film’s producers.
Elesin Oba stars Odunlade Adekola, Shaffy Bello, Olawale ‘Brymo’ Olofooro, Deyemi Okanlawon, Omowunmi Dada, Jide Kosoko, Mark Elderkin, Jenny Stead, Langley Kirkwood, Kevin Ushi, Drikus Volschenk and Fares Boulos ‘Oyibo Rebel’. Ajoke Silva and Taiwo Ajai-Lycett are special guest appearances.
The film will be screened in the Special Presentation category at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, which takes place September 8 – 18, 2022. It is the first Yoruba language film to screen at the festival.
Check out a teaser of Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman below.
