By Charles Pemu 
LONDON—The O2 Arena, a venue Burna Boy has historically conquered with his music rolled out the red carpet last Friday, October 3, 2025, not for a concert, but for a major cinematic moment. The Grammy-winning artist celebrated his debut as an executive producer with the highly anticipated world premiere of his Pan-African thriller, “3 Cold Dishes.”
The film, a powerful story of revenge, survival, and sisterhood focusing on three sex trafficking survivors, officially hit the screen at Cineworld Cinemas O2, timed perfectly to align with Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations.
Burna Boy, alongside director Asurf Oluseyi and co-director Apolline Traoré, ushered in a new era for African cinema. The red carpet was a spectacle, featuring the film’s diverse cast, including Osas Ighodaro, Wale Ojo, and Femi Jacobs, as well as other notable names like Nissi, Shank, and Boma Akpore.
A Four-Month Cinematic Buzz
The anticipation for “3 Cold Dishes” has been building since Burna Boy first gave fans a dramatic tease. Four months ago, he surprised a sold-out crowd at his historic concert at the Stade de France in Paris with an exclusive teaser clip, instantly igniting global buzz.
Now, with the London premiere wrapped, the film is set to conquer the continent. It will begin its theatrical rollout across Africa and beyond in November 2025, promising a high-stakes, multilingual story that blends Nollywood talent with Francophone cinema.
With the successful premiere confirming Burna Boy’s influence extends far beyond the microphone, the night continued with an official after-party, cementing the film’s status as one of the year’s most significant cultural crossovers. The “Giant of Africa” is officially conquering the big screen.