I make films for thinkers, not everyone, Kunle Afolayan responds to critics

Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has reacted to mixed reviews trailing the second season of his Netflix series, Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre, urging critics and viewers to exercise patience before passing judgment.

In a video shared on his verified Instagram page on Tuesday, Afolayan explained that his works are tailored to a specific audience.

“There’s something that’s is very peculiar about the kind of films that we make. We make films for the intellectual, not gbasgbos. We make films for people who can think,” he said.

The filmmaker added that he does not expect universal approval or understanding of his films.

He said, “I don’t expect that everybody will like the film. And I don’t even expect that everybody will understand the film, but I expect that the people I’m trying to appeal to, the people that I had at the back of my mind when I was conceiving the ideas that I know they will get it, and they got it.”

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Afolayan further disclosed that he had received positive feedback from academics and scholars, saying, “I’ve heard from scholars, from professors, from deep thinkers, from people who don’t only think about now.”

Addressing critics who said they did not understand the series, Afolayan said, “It is a series that has many episodes. What you have seen are just few of the episodes. How do you conclude in your brain that it is not good when you have not even seen the entire thing?

“When you watch a series like ‘Game of Thrones’, you have to wait every week before a new episode comes out. So you haven’t even seen everything and then you concluded that the stories are all over the place. We have created new plots.”

While thanking fans who have watched the series and acknowledging their feedbacks, Afolayan recalled similar criticism to his earlier works, noting that they eventually gained recognition.

He said, “I remember when I did ‘Irapada’, when the film came out, some people came out, critiqued it and they called it all sorts. At the end of the day, the film travelled, it got awards, it was internationally recognised.

“And then we moved to ‘The Figurine,’ and I remember when we did ‘The Figurine,’ you know, some people were like, no, you know, all sorts. And we’re here now.”.

Encouraging fellow filmmakers, he said, “As a filmmaker, don’t listen, just keep making your films.

“Those who think they understand what film and how film critiquing works, well done, E Mu ra si. (Keep it up). For us, we’ll keep appealing to those who have sense, common sense.”

Afolayan concluded by reaffirming his commitment to making intellectually driven films and continuing to tell stories for audiences who appreciate deeper narratives.

It was reported in January that the renowned filmmaker disclosed that he is not interested in box office records or competing for cinema revenue, stressing that his focus is on creative control and long-term value rather than headline earnings.