Everything We Know About Clarissa: The Esiri Twins’ Star-Studded Lagos Spin on a Literary Classic

Dust off your vintage Woolf collections and prepare your finest silk kaftans, because the Esiri twins are about to prove that 1920s London high society has nothing on the vibrant, high-stakes social scene of modern-day Lagos. After making a massive splash with their debut feature Eyimofe (This Is My Desire), Arie and Chuko Esiri are back with Clarissa, a project that is already smelling like prestigious festival bait and a potential awards season juggernaut.

The Esiri brothers are transposing the "one-day-in-the-life" narrative to a humid, electric Lagos night, and they’ve brought a literal busload of talent with them.

A Cast That Actually Excels

Usually, when a film announces a "stacked ensemble," it means three Oscar winners and a TikToker. Clarissa, however, is doing the work. The legendary Sophie Okonedo takes the lead as the titular hostess, joined by the incomparable David Oyelowo. If that wasn't enough to get the cinephiles hyperventilating, the production also snagged Ayo Edebiri—fresh off her "everyone’s favorite person" tour alongside Ted Lasso’s Toheeb Jimoh and Queen Charlotte breakout India Amarteifio.

It’s a cast that screams "we have taste," and frankly, we’re here for it. Seeing Edebiri and Oyelowo navigate the Esiri twins' signature 35mm visual style is likely to be the cinematic equivalent of a cold drink on a hot Delta State afternoon.

From Bloomsbury to Lagos

So, what’s the deal with the plot? Like the source material, Clarissa unfolds over a single evening as our protagonist prepares for a high-society party. But instead of pondering over flowers in a London shop, this Clarissa is navigating a "bittersweet reckoning" in Nigeria.

The story dives deep into the "what-ifs" of life, reuniting Clarissa with intimate friends from her youth and forcing her to face the gap between the dreams she once held in Abraka and the reality of her current social standing. Chuko Esiri’s screenplay reportedly leans heavily into themes of longing and missed destiny, backed by a kora-heavy score that promises to be as haunting as the regrets Clarissa is nursing.

Why You Should Care

In a sea of mindless sequels, Clarissa feels like the kind of cinema that actually wants to say something. Neon recently swooped in to grab the worldwide rights, which is basically the industry’s way of saying, "This is going to be important, and you’re going to feel uncultured if you don't watch it."

Between the 35mm grit, the Lagosian glamour, and a cast that could successfully read a phone book to a standing ovation, the Esiri twins are cementing their status as the directors to watch. Keep your eyes on The TV Cave for more updates, because as soon as a trailer drops, we’ll be the first to tell you if the vibes are as immaculate as they look on paper.

Do you think modern Lagos is the perfect backdrop for a Virginia Woolf adaptation, or should some classics stay in the library? Let us know in the comments!