Filmmaker Kemi Adetiba has revealed that creating her new Netflix series To Kill a Monkey was a major creative gamble.
In an Instagram post, Kemi said the project was unlike anything she had done before.
“It was a crazy risk to take, but it was a story I strongly felt I needed to tell – no gloss, no theatrics, no grandiose characters to hide behind… Just a raw, human story about real people, with real struggles, trying to navigate impossible choices,” she said.
Kemi, who is known for hit projects like King of Boys and The Wedding Party, explained that the idea behind To Kill a Monkey was to explore how a person under pressure could be pushed beyond their limits.
“I wanted to explore what could make a good, principled man snap. How much pressure it would take for him to break. And how would the ripple effect be for everyone around him,” she added.
The director also expressed gratitude to fans for the overwhelming support the series has received.
“Thank you from the bottom‑box of my heart!… Your word‑of‑mouth, your shares, your conversations, they crashed in like a tsunami and took over the entire space… You validated every actor, every character, every crew member, every long night and hard decision that went into building this project. You validated me!” she wrote.
To Kill a Monkey premiered on Netflix on July 18, 2025. The eight-part limited series tells the story of Efemini, a principled man driven into the world of cybercrime by desperation and an old friend.
The series stars William Benson, Bucci Franklin, Chidi Mokeme, Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Lilian Afegbai, Michael Ejoor and Sunshine Rosman. It was directed and produced by Kemi Adetiba and her brother Remi Adetiba under Kemi Adetiba Visuals.
A behind-the-scenes clip was first shared in 2023 as Kemi teased the project on Instagram, describing it as “the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my career.”
To Kill a Monkey has since sparked widespread reactions on social media and topped streaming charts across Nigeria and other English-speaking African countries.
Kemi’s previous works include King of Boys, The Wedding Party, and King of Boys: The Return of the King, all of which enjoyed critical acclaim and massive viewership.
