Kemi Adetiba unveils trailer for gritty new crime drama ‘To Kill a Monkey’

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker Kemi Adetiba has dropped the official trailer for her latest project, To Kill a Monkey, marking a bold shift from her previous work.

Premiering on Netflix on July 18, To Kill a Monkey is an eight-part crime drama that signals Adetiba’s first major production outside her acclaimed King of Boys universe. Known for her rich storytelling and commanding visuals, the director, showrunner, and creator trades the political drama and matriarchal power of KOB for a leaner, darker, and male-centered narrative.

Notably absent is her long-time collaborator Sola Sobowale, whose iconic roles in The Wedding Party and King of Boys helped define Adetiba’s cinematic voice. Instead, the spotlight shifts to William Benson (Crime and Justice Lagos) and Bucci Franklin (Rattlesnake), who lead the cast as Efemini and his flashy, enigmatic friend.

Efemini is a principled man caught in a spiral of desperation, while Franklin’s character straddles the line between savior and snare.

The series explores themes of identity, desperation, and the cost of reinvention. As Efemini delves deeper into a world of lies and double lives, To Kill a Monkey asks a haunting question: when does survival cross the line into self-destruction?

The ensemble cast includes veteran and rising stars such as Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Michael Ejoor, Chidi Mokeme, Lilian Afegbai, Ireti Doyle, Teniola Aladese, and Sunshine Roseman.

Initially teased in August 2023, the project was produced under Kemi Adetiba Visuals in collaboration with Remi Adetiba. Principal photography wrapped by October last year, with post-production completed in the months following.

To Kill a Monkey begins streaming worldwide on Netflix from July 18, 2025.