The film story is coming back to the big screen – over 30 years after the original Agbara Nla was one of the most popular Christian films in Nigeria.
The new movie, titled Agbara Nla: The Return, is scheduled to hit Nigerian cinemas on 1st October 2026.
The film takes the audience on a journey of the same story that introduced many Nigerians to the conflict between religion and spiritual darkness in the 1990s, but produced in a modern cinema.
Before the arrival of Agbara Nla: The Return in theatres, here are five things to know.
33 years later, it returns
Mount Zion Faith Ministries released the original film, Agbara Nla, in 1993, and it became a significant title in the Christian film industry in Nigeria.
A book in English, The Ultimate Power, was published in 1994.
It was a VHS- and television-era film where Christian films were shared through home video, television, and word of mouth.
Thirty-three years later, the tale is being told as a contemporary film.
Mike Bamiloye will be back as Isawuru
The most prominent tie that has been seen between the original movie and the new one is Mike Bamiloye.
The film comes back to Bamiloye, who also developed the original story, as he brings back the character he played in the 1993 film, Isawuru.
In his return, he takes the new production back to the original, yet brings him into contact with a new generation of actors and filmmakers.
The remake was not immediately approved by Mike Bamiloye
The redo of Agbara Nla was not met with a welcome from Mike Bamiloye straight away.
Damilola Mike Bamiloye disclosed that he and his brother, Joshua, have had the idea of reviving the classic movie for a long time, coming to their father with it. But initially, Mike was not agreeable and stated that he didn’t think that the time was right for the remake.
The brothers later came up with the concept a few years later, and their father agreed to the project.
That choice paved the way for the new version of the film, which will see Damilola and Joshua playing pivotal roles while Mike Bamiloye is back as Isawuru.
Its release date in October brings another layer to its story, which is the remaking of the original. It’s not just a remake of a previous movie; it’s something that has been in the works for years and finally became a movie.
The full account of how the remake moved from an idea to a cinema production was shared by Damilola in an interview with Punch Newspapers.
The story is centered on spiritual warfare
The core of Agbara Nla is between spiritual darkness and the power of God.
The new film contains the same themes of faith, prayer, and spiritual warfare but is in a modern production.
The narrative takes place around the area of Muwonleru, where the characters have to deal with the threat of the occult through their faith.
If you’re someone who remembers the original, the core themes will be recognized. The film is a retelling for younger audiences of one of Mount Zion’s most famous tales.
Releases in the cinema on 1st October
Agbara Nla: The Return is set to release across the country on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Several states, such as Lagos, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Rivers, Ondo, Osun and Edo, have already announced cinema listings.
The film will also be out in the U.S., U.K. and Canada in cinemas after its debut in Nigeria.
Audiences will experience the story in a new way after the film moves to cinemas, more than 30 years after its first release on VHS.
The film will be released in cinemas on October 1 with Agbara Nla (The Power): The Return.
