49 Years Later, Şaban Returns: Why Yeşilçam Nostalgia Is Big Business
Nearly half a century after Kemal Sunal first played the lovable soldier Şaban, the character is coming back to the big screen, and this time the man in the uniform is his son. On 2 November 2026 the cast of Şaban Oğlu Şaban Oğlu Şaban sat down for the first table read in Istanbul, and cameras are planned to roll on 5 November. Behind the project stand Poll Films and Arzu Film, the company of the Eğilmez family that shaped Turkish popular comedy in the 1970s, with Can Ulkay, the director of Türkiye’s 2017 Oscar submission Ayla, in the director’s chair. For anyone who buys, finances or distributes Turkish films, this is more than a casting story: it is a clear signal of how local producers plan to win back a shrinking cinema audience.
In brief
- A 1977 classic gets a family sequel: Ali Sunal, son of the late comedy legend Kemal Sunal, plays the new-generation Şaban.
- Legacy meets new money: the film is a co-production of Poll Films and Arzu Film, with Polat Yağcı and Ferdi Eğilmez named as producers.
- Proven director: Can Ulkay, a former commercials director, made Ayla (Türkiye’s Oscar entry in 2017) and is also attached to a Turkish remake of the Korean hit Penthouse.
- Veteran cast: Erdal Özyağcılar (Hiddet Paşa), Itır Esen (Asalet) and Rüştü Onur Atilla (Gulabi) join Ali Sunal.
- Market context: Turkish cinemas sold 27.66 million tickets in 2025, down 15%, yet local films still took about 55% of admissions.
Who is the new Şaban, and why does the name matter so much?
The new Şaban is Ali Sunal, the actor son of Kemal Sunal, and the name matters because Şaban is one of the most recognisable comic characters in Turkish cinema history.
The original Şabanoğlu Şaban (1977) was directed by Ertem Eğilmez and starred Kemal Sunal alongside a who’s who of Yeşilçam comedy: Şener Şen, Halit Akçatepe, Sıtkı Akçatepe, Şevket Altuğ, Adile Naşit and Ayşen Gruda. The 90-minute comedy is still shown on Turkish television decades later, and Kemal Sunal’s films remain a staple of holiday programming. That long television afterlife has built recognition that crosses generations: grandparents saw the film in cinemas, parents grew up with it on TV, and younger audiences know the memes.
Casting Ali Sunal turns this recognition into a marketing asset. The project does not need to explain who Şaban is; it only needs to show what has changed. According to the original report by Birsen Altuntaş, the sequel follows a new-generation Şaban, and the title itself, which repeats the name three times, makes the family line part of the joke.
Who is paying for the sequel, and what do they bring?
The film is produced by Poll Films and Arzu Film in partnership, with Polat Yağcı and Ferdi Eğilmez credited as producers.
Arzu Film is the company Ertem Eğilmez (1929–1989) founded in the early 1960s. Eğilmez is the producer-director behind the Hababam Sınıfı series (1975–1981), Tosun Paşa (1976), Süt Kardeşler (1976) and Gülen Gözler (1977), films that defined the golden age of Turkish comedy. Ferdi Eğilmez, his son, now carries the label forward. Itır Esen, who joins the sequel, is known for Aile Şerefi, another Arzu Film title, which shows the company is building a recurring talent pool.
For international partners, the pairing is a familiar structure: a heritage rights holder brings the brand and the library, while a younger production partner brings current crews and market access. It mirrors how Hollywood studios revive legacy franchises with new producers.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Şaban Oğlu Şaban Oğlu Şaban |
| Type | Feature film, comedy, sequel to Şabanoğlu Şaban (1977) |
| Producers | Poll Films and Arzu Film (Polat Yağcı, Ferdi Eğilmez) |
| Director | Can Ulkay |
| Lead | Ali Sunal as Şaban |
| Supporting cast | Erdal Özyağcılar (Hiddet Paşa), Itır Esen (Asalet), Rüştü Onur Atilla (Gulabi) |
| Table read | 2 November 2026 |
| Start of filming | Planned for 5 November 2026 |
| Release, distributor | Not announced yet |
Why hire the director of an Oscar entry for a slapstick sequel?
Because Can Ulkay knows how to turn a nostalgic, emotional story into a mainstream hit with high production value.
Ulkay came from advertising. His second feature, Ayla (2017), a Korean War drama about a Turkish soldier and an orphaned girl starring İsmail Hacıoğlu and Ali Atay, was selected as Türkiye’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. He has since moved between big-screen and television projects, and TRBW Creative reported that he is attached to the Turkish remake of the Korean drama Penthouse. A comedy sequel may look like a change of genre, but the common thread is clear: Ulkay works on projects with built-in audience recognition and handles them with a commercial polish that sells.
Who joins Ali Sunal on set?
The confirmed supporting cast leans on respected veterans who give the comedy weight.
- Erdal Özyağcılar plays Hiddet Paşa, a name that nods to the pashas and officers of classic Yeşilçam comedies.
- Itır Esen plays Asalet, Hiddet Paşa’s wife. Her character’s name means “nobility”, a hint at the class comedy that powered the original films.
- Rüştü Onur Atilla plays Gulabi and shared photos and a video from the table read with his co-stars.
Further casting has not been announced. The mix of a famous surname in the lead and seasoned theatre and screen actors around him is a classic risk-management formula: the star sells the poster, the ensemble protects the comedy.
Can nostalgia save Turkish cinema’s box office?
It cannot fix the market alone, but local titles with strong brand recognition are the best-performing tool producers have right now.
Official TÜİK data for 2025 show a difficult year. Turkish cinemas sold 27,657,591 tickets, 15% fewer than a year earlier. Local films drew 15.1 million viewers, down 18.3%, and foreign films 12.6 million, down 10.7%. Even so, Turkish productions still accounted for roughly 55% of admissions, a share that few European markets can match. A total of 771 films were shown, 417 of them premieres (159 local, 258 foreign), on 2,161 screens with 253,364 seats.
| Indicator (2025, TÜİK) | Value | Change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total admissions | 27.66 million | −15.0% |
| Admissions, local films | 15.10 million | −18.3% |
| Admissions, foreign films | 12.56 million | −10.7% |
| Share of local films | ≈ 55% | — |
| Premieres (local / foreign) | 159 / 258 | — |
| Screens / seats | 2,161 / 253,364 | — |
In a shrinking market, distributors favour titles that audiences already know. The same week that Şaban starts shooting, Çakallarla Dans 8, the eighth film in a comedy franchise, opens in cinemas on 6 November after a gala in Istanbul. Earlier this autumn the animated Gupi, which grew out of a Netflix series, posted the best opening of 2026 in Türkiye. Sequels, franchises and adaptations are where the money is going.
What does this mean for buyers, platforms and brands?
Our take: the Şaban sequel is a textbook “legacy IP” play, and it opens several business doors beyond the domestic box office.
- Streaming and TV rights. Kemal Sunal titles are evergreen on Turkish television. A new film that links to the 1977 original gives broadcasters and platforms a natural package: the classic plus the sequel, programmed together.
- Diaspora markets. Turkish comedies travel to Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and other countries with large Turkish communities. A familiar brand lowers marketing costs for theatrical distributors there.
- Brand partnerships. Nostalgia campaigns work well with food, retail and telecom brands that have been in Türkiye for decades. A character every generation knows is a safe partner for product placement and co-promotion.
- Library value. Every successful sequel raises the value of the original catalogue. For rights holders like Arzu Film, the new film is also a marketing campaign for the classic library.
- Risk to watch. Release date and distributor are not yet public, and comparisons with Kemal Sunal will be tough. The commercial outcome will depend on whether the film feels like a tribute or a copy.
FAQ
What is Şaban Oğlu Şaban Oğlu Şaban?
It is a Turkish comedy feature that continues the story of the 1977 classic Şabanoğlu Şaban, following a new-generation Şaban played by Ali Sunal.
Who directs the film?
Can Ulkay, known for Ayla, Türkiye’s Oscar submission in 2017.
Who produces it?
Poll Films and Arzu Film, with Polat Yağcı and Ferdi Eğilmez named as producers.
When does filming start?
Filming is planned to start on 5 November 2026, after a table read on 2 November.
When will it be released?
The release date and distributor have not been announced.
Who directed the original 1977 film?
Ertem Eğilmez, the founder of Arzu Film, with Kemal Sunal in the title role.
Sources
- Birsen Altuntaş, “Itır Esen ‘Asalet’ rolüyle ‘Şaban Oğlu Şaban Oğlu Şaban’da”, 3 November 2026: birsenaltuntas.com
- Karar, report on the sequel, producers and director, 11 September 2026: karar.com
- Birsen Altuntaş, gala of Çakallarla Dans 8, 2 November 2026: birsenaltuntas.com
- TÜİK cinema statistics 2025, via Alomaliye: alomaliye.com
- Wikipedia, Şaban, Son of Şaban (1977): wikipedia.org
- Küre Ansiklopedi, Ertem Eğilmez: kureansiklopedi.com
- Sözcü, review of Ayla, 2017: sozcu.com.tr
This article is for information only. It is based on public reports and may change as the producers announce new details, including the release date and distribution.
