-
Funke Akindele has dismissed a viral death claim involving the director of her upcoming movie, “The Four”, as an attempt to gain social media engagement.
-
An X user falsely presented a 2024 video of the actress crying as a recent reaction to the alleged death of the film’s director.
-
Akindele, who wrote, directed, and produced “The Four”, directly confronted the user over the misleading post.
-
The filmmaker’s latest reaction comes as she promotes “The Four: No One Fights Alone”, which is scheduled to hit cinemas on December 11, 2026.
August 11, (THEWILL) — Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has reacted to a viral claim alleging that the director of her upcoming movie, “The Four”, died in a fatal accident.
The claim surfaced on X on Monday, August 10, 2026, alongside an old video showing Akindele in tears during an Instagram Live session.
An X user identified as @GodfreyWis44495 presented the footage as a recent reaction to the alleged death, claiming that Akindele had received news of the accident after speaking with the supposed director shortly before the incident.
The post also suggested that the alleged death could affect the release of “The Four”, which Akindele recently announced for December 11, 2026.
Akindele, however, quickly shut down the claim in a direct response to the X user.
She wrote, “Your words shall return to you in Jesus name. Are you looking for engagements Abi? God will give you!!!”
The actress’ response made it clear that the viral report was false, while the footage used to support the claim was also unrelated to the upcoming movie.
The claim also contained a glaring contradiction, as Akindele herself is directing “The Four: No One Fights Alone”.
She is also credited as the film’s writer and producer under her production outfit, Funke Akindele Network (FAAN TV).
The filmmaker recently unveiled the project, which features an ensemble cast including Bisola Aiyeola, Chioma Akpotha, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Timini Egbuson, Lateef Adedimeji, Ali Nuhu, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
“The Four” remains scheduled to hit cinemas on December 11, 2026.
READ ALSO: Funke Akindele Unveils Star-Studded Cast for New Film ‘The Four: No One Fights Alone’
The Old Video Used in the Claim
The video used in the post dates back to April 2024, when Akindele went live following the death of actress Adejumoke Aderounmu, who was known for playing Esther in “Jenifa’s Diary”.
Aderounmu’s death was followed by public claims from her brother, Adeola Aderounmu, about Akindele’s alleged lack of contact with the actress before her death.
Akindele addressed the claims during an emotional Instagram Live session, explaining that she was unaware that Aderounmu was ill and had not known that she needed help.
She also became emotional after a social media user made a disturbing comment involving her children.
The old footage was therefore unrelated to “The Four” and had nothing to do with the death of anyone involved in the movie.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
