It feels like every company believes it can enter the film industry willy-nilly. It turns out they can, as long as they have enough money. Apple did it, now WhatsApp is following in their footsteps. The messenger is marking its debut in the film industry with Naija Odyssey; a short film centred around Giannis Antetokounmpo. Also known as the ‘Greek Freak’, Giannis is a popular NBA player, currently with the Milwaukee Bucks.
WhatsApp presents…
The film is reportedly twelve minutes long, and focuses on Giannis’ ‘origin story’. But why Giannis Antetokounmpo? Well, in February the player signed an endorsement deal with WhatsApp making him the company’s brand spokesperson. The idea to film a movie has probably been on the cards for months after being built directly into the player’s contract.
According to the film’s YouTube trailer description, Naija Odyssey is: “The true story of a basketball star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, born in Greece to Nigerian parents. His whole life people have tried to tell him who he was. Now Giannis tells his ‘origin story of many origins’ as he reconciles his roots, birthplace, and sense of belonging between cross-cultural worlds.”
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21 September marks the film’s release. It will be available through Amazon Prime, though Variety reports that WhatsApp would also release the film through its social media channels and YouTube. If the film isn’t a complete waste of time, it could spell the start of WhatsApp’s own film studio, with the potential to release feature-length films. That could be… interesting.
Source: The Verge