A team of creatives with specialty in horror filmmaking is being assembled for the project.
By Helena Olori
Karishika, one of the most memorable Nollywood classics, is set for a reboot as the Charles Okpaleke–led Play Network Studios acquires IP rights for the remake of the 1996 horror movie. “Karishika is back…I acquired IP rights to Karishika and I wish to work with creatives specialized in horror films,” announced Okpaleke.
The original film was a terrifying tale of “Karishika,” an agent of Lucifer sent to earth to ruin successful men and lure people to their destruction and ultimately, to hell. The power of prayerful wives of the men she targeted repel her influence, and eventually foils her mission.
The Christian Onu-directed Karishika starring Becky Ngozi Okorie and Bob-Manuel Udokwu, was a household favourite back in the days, and has, to a great extent, influenced the pop culture in Nigeria, with rap music star, Falz (Folarin Falana) dedicating one of his albums, and a track to the film’s plot and title.
Since acquiring rights for the sequel of Living In Bondage – the first hit movie in Nigeria’s film industry – in 2015, the Play Network boss has reiterated his commitment to retelling old Nollywood classics as a way of preserving history. “A lot of history is basically being washed away in Nigeria. If we don’t tell our stories, a generation will pass and people won’t know that things like these happened,” he told BBC Igbo in an interview in 2022.
With a track record of multiple Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards under his belt, particularly for acclaimed movies like Rattle Snake, Okpaleke has established himself as the go-to filmmaker for reboots in Nollywood.
Production timeline and release date for the film will be unveiled in the coming days as team assembly is still underway.