Kunle Afolayan is officially back in his epic bag. The acclaimed filmmaker has unveiled the trailer for “Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens,” the second season of his Netflix fantasy series, and it wastes no time announcing higher stakes, darker consequences, and a world where power always comes at a cost. The six-part series premieres globally on Netflix on January 30, continuing the story that first captivated audiences in 2022.
From the opening frames of the trailer, it’s clear this isn’t just a sequel, it’s an escalation.
A Darker Chapter in the Aníkúlápó Universe
Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens builds on the mythology established in the original film Aníkúlápó and its first series installment, Rise of the Spectre, released in March 2024. At the centre of the story is Saro, the once-humble weaver who returned from death with the power to resurrect others, a gift that has proven to be as dangerous as it is divine.
Read: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives Set for Cinema Release
The new season pushes the story beyond the familiar walls of the Oyo Empire, taking Saro’s journey into foreign lands where loyalty fractures, love faces severe tests, and survival becomes the ultimate crown. As Afolayan puts it, once power awakens, it demands a price and this season sets out to collect it.
Filmed across KAP Film Village and Resort in Oyo State, Nigeria, and Cape Coast, Ghana, the series leans heavily into rich historical aesthetics, spiritual symbolism, and the moral consequences of cheating death. The trailer teases betrayal, shifting alliances, and an unsettling truth: resurrection does not come without reckoning.
New Faces, Familiar Legends
One of the biggest talking points surrounding The Ghoul Awakens is its expanded cast. Joining the Aníkúlápó universe this season are Pedro Teixeira, a popular Portuguese film star, and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), making her acting debut.
Their roles remain under wraps, but their inclusion signals Afolayan’s growing interest in cross-cultural storytelling and unexpected casting choices. Teixeira is known for roles in films like Festa é Festa, Irregular, and Destinos Cruzados, while Dabiri-Erewa’s move from public service to screen acting adds an intriguing layer to the project.
They join an ensemble cast that includes Bukunmi “KieKie” Adeaga-Ilori, Teniola Aladese, Antar Laniyan, Saidi Balogun, Joke Muyiwa, Saga (Adeoluwa Okusaga), and Tayo Faniran.
Returning fan favourites also make a strong comeback, including Sola Sobowale, Bimbo Ademoye, Taiwo Hassan, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Gabriel Afolayan, Lateef Adedimeji, Adebayo Salami, Jide Kosoko, and Eyiyemi Afolayan. Together, the cast reinforces the sense that Aníkúlápó is no longer just a project, it’s a full-blown cinematic universe.
Read: Nigerian Artists Lead African Charge at the 2026 MOBO Awards
Why The Ghoul Awakens Feels Bigger Than a Series
Beyond the spectacle, Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens continues Afolayan’s long-standing commitment to telling African stories at scale; stories rooted in culture, history, and spiritual philosophy, yet packaged for a global audience.
The series interrogates themes of power, consequence, destiny, and identity, all while maintaining the visual richness and narrative ambition that have become Afolayan’s signature. It also reinforces Netflix’s growing investment in high-budget African epics that don’t dilute cultural specificity for international appeal.
With its January 30 release date, The Ghoul Awakens is positioning itself as one of Nigeria’s most significant screen offerings of the year and a reminder that Nollywood’s global era is still very much unfolding.
For more entertainment news, film breakdowns, and African pop culture stories that actually matter, follow and read more on RefinedNG. If you’re not keeping up, you’re missing the plot.