An ambitious Africanfuturist animated feature is officially moving into its next phase after a strong show of global support.
Crocodile Dance, a mythic thriller rooted in West African spirituality and storytelling, has successfully exceeded its Kickstarter funding goal, raising $95,157 against an initial target of $70,000.
The funds will be used to produce a three-minute animation test, a critical step that will serve as a launchpad for full development, future financing, and co-production partnerships.
A Mythic Story Grounded in West African Heritage
Crocodile Dance follows Roukia, a Northern Nigerian griot whose voice and music hold supernatural power.
When a long-buried generational curse resurfaces and threatens her family, Roukia is forced to confront her past, reclaim her voice, and face Mami Wata one of Africa’s most feared and revered water deities.
While the film leans into suspense and supernatural tension, its emotional core is deeply human, exploring grief, ancestral memory, identity, and the reclaiming of personal power through creativity.
Writer and co-director Shofela Coker, a Nigerian illustrator and filmmaker known for his work on Disney+’s Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (Moremi), describes the project as a re-examination of one of Africa’s most complex mythological figures.
According to him, the film draws from centuries of folklore across West Africa, embracing both the beauty and darkness associated with Mami Wata legends.
A Globally Recognised Creative Team
Co-directing the project is Nadia Darries, an Annie Award-winning South African writer and director best known for Aau’s Song from Star Wars: Visions.
Darries, who also serves as head of story, describes Crocodile Dance as a story about remembering who we are piece by piece and reconnecting with the power embedded in ancestry and self-belief.
The project’s creative credibility is further strengthened by an impressive list of collaborators.
Peter Ramsey, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is attached as producing consultant.
Music will be composed by French multi-instrumentalist Nathan Minier, while Nigerian producer and cultural consultant Ummi Yakubu (Griot Studios, Abuja) helps ground the story in authentic traditions.
Nigerian writer and executive producer Shobo Coker, co-creator of acclaimed Africanfuturist graphic novels Bronze Faces and New Masters, is also part of the core team.
Visual Identity and African Production Focus
Visually, Crocodile Dance blends painted 2D environments with 3D character animation, drawing influence from Southwestern Nigerian printmaking, sculpture, and design traditions.
Real locations such as Badagry, Idanre, and Ibadan inform the film’s world-building, while the fictional coastal town of Itesi fuses 1970s West Africa with neon-lit 1990s futurism.
The team aims to keep production largely on the African continent, working closely with Lucan Animation in Cape Town to develop the film’s visual language and production pipeline.
Kickstarter Success Signals Industry Confidence
The campaign’s success represents the first concrete step toward a full-length animated feature, which the creators estimate will require approximately $8 million to complete.
Beyond funding, the Kickstarter also unlocked key creative materials, including an illustrated novella titled Roukia’s History and a 120-page art book showcasing concept art, storyboards, and character designs.
Digital rewards including the original score, wallpapers, and posters are expected to roll out from March 2026, with the animation test targeted for April 2027.
A Growing Pattern of African Animation Recognition
The momentum behind Crocodile Dance reflects a broader global recognition of African-led animated projects gaining critical acclaim, festival attention, and industry backing.
Members of the creative team have previously contributed to major international productions such as Kizazi Moto, Star Wars: Visions, Eyes of Wakanda, Iyanu, and The Lamplighter’s League reinforcing Africa’s growing footprint in premium animation spaces.
Crocodile Dance has already begun to attract serious industry attention. After premiering its teaser at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
The project went on to win the NFVF Award for Best Animation Project at the Durban Film Mart, a strong validation of both its creative ambition and production potential.
Crocodile Dance is developed by Coker CoOp and fiscally sponsored by Legends Animated, a nonprofit organization supporting independent animation.
The project’s journey continues as it moves from proof-of-concept to full feature development, carrying with it a powerful blend of African mythology, modern storytelling, and global creative ambition.
Follow updates on Instagram via @crocodiledancefilm.