Mo Abudu just gave fans a first look at EbonyLife Place London, a cinema built for African and Black films, opening October 2026.
Okay, so you know how Mo Abudu never really does anything small? She’s done it again, and this time she’s taken her magic all the way to London.
The media mogul just announced that EbonyLife Place London will officially open its doors in October 2026, and here’s the big deal: it’s set to be the very first cinema in the UK built entirely around African and Black films. Not a section. Not a corner. The whole thing.
She shared a video on Monday that honestly says it better than any press release could. It starts with footage of the property back in March 2025, right after she bought it. And let’s just say, it was rough. Empty walls, bare floors, nothing to look at.
Fast forward to now, though, and the transformation is wild. The main auditorium, which they’re calling the Amani Auditorium, has this gorgeous vintage cinema look going on. The kind of place you’d want to dress up for.
Abudu couldn’t hide her excitement either. “Let’s take a little trip back to March 2025, when we acquired the property. This is exactly how it looked then. Dull and, quite honestly, a blank canvas!” she said. Then, talking about how far things have come, she added, “Now fast forward to August 2026 and WOW!”
Why does this matter so much? Because for years, African stories have had to fight for space on international screens. Having a permanent home in London, one built specifically to celebrate African and Black storytelling, feels like a real shift. It’s the kind of thing that makes you proud without anyone having to explain why.
This also isn’t Abudu’s first rodeo. EbonyLife Place in Lagos already stands as a major hangout spot, mixing cinema with food, culture, and lifestyle. Now she’s simply proving the concept works far beyond Nigeria.
