"Living in Bondage": Here's all we know about upcoming sequel to Nollywood classic movie

A sequel to cult 90s horror thriller "Living in Bondage" is coming to cinemas, with Ramsey Nouah lined up to direct it.

In 2015, it was announced that a sequel to the 1992 classic Nollywood movie, "Living in Bondage" was in the works.

The sequel, which will also mark the official directorial debut of veteran actor Ramsey  Nouah, is a follow-up to the 1992 cult drama thriller of the same name.

The original movie told the story of a man, Andy, who sacrifices the person he loves the most (his wife, Merit) for wealth. After her death, her ghost returns to hunt him.

26 years after its release, "Living in  Bondage" is still in the pop culture landscape. It didn't only inspire a passionate following, it also kick-started the popular money ritual plot in Nollywood.

The movie is easily one of the top three movies of any true Nollywood fan from the 90s. Many even argue that it kicked off the movie industry 'Nollywood' and the home video market boom in the 90s.

 

Nollywood is no stranger to sequels. We have had sequels to commercially successful originals such as "The Wedding Party," "Jenifa's Diary" and "Wives on Strike." However, creating sequels to nostalgic films from the 90s is new.

Most originals are held in such high esteem that many sequels don’t stand a chance. However, it takes a great script, director and actors to ensure that a sequel doesn't simply recycle everything viewers already know about the original.

So for "Living in Bondage: Breaking Free," it was very important to Nouah that the sequel appeals to the demography of those who saw the original movie and those who didn't.

"When we wrote the story, we realized that it was lopsided. We were trying to catch the demography of today who go to the cinema [and those who] have not seen the original moie. So we were trying to kind of blend it," the actor told Pulse Nigeria during an interview.

Trying to use the original to create the same feel for the sequel was not an easy task. "That's why it took so long," Nouah said about the sequel which was first announced in 2015 after Nouah and his entrepreneur friend, Charles Okpaleke, acquired the license to write from Kenneth Nnebue, who helmed the 1992 film.

 

Cast and crew of "Living in Bondage" sequel

The original starred household names like Kenneth Okonkwo as Andy, Nnenna Nwabueze as Merit, Francis Agu as Ichie Millionaire, Bob Manuel Udokwu as Mike, Ngozi Nwosu as Ego, Kanayo O. Kanayo as Chief Omego, Rita Nzelu as Tina among others.

It has been confirmed that Kenneth Okwonkwo, Bob-Manuel Udokwu and  Kanayo O. Kanayo would return for the sequel.

New additions include Ramsey Nouah, who would be taking up a villainous role. There's also Enyinna Nwigwe in an unknown role.

"We are going to roll out principal photography in July. We have on board too one of the top directors in Nigeria, Steve Gukas, who directed "93 Days." But he is now an executive producer and producer."

Release date for "Living in Bondage" sequel

There's no release date for the "Living in Bondage" sequel, but  depending on the availability of windows in the cinema, Nouah hopes to capture the December market.

Are you excited about a "Living in Bondage" sequel?

Here are other classic Nollywood movies that should be remade.