23 December 2022
Respect (2021)
South African Liesl Tommy (Mrs Fletcher, The Walking Dead, Jessica Jones) directs Respect, a music biopic about the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson plays the lead role – after being recommended by Aretha herself after she saw Dreamgirls.
The cast includes Oscar winner Forest Whitaker (Godfather of Harlem), Audra McDonald (The Good Fight) and Tate Donovan (Argo), Marlon Wayans (White Chicks), Marc Maron (GLOW), Saycon Sengbloh (The Wonder Years), and nine-time Grammy winner Mary J Blige.
Hollywood Reporter calls Respect, “An intimate gift of love, rich in complexity, spirituality, Black pride and feminist grit,” while Observer says, “Jennifer Hudson as Aretha is the whole deal.”
Take Me Home S2, now streaming
Stream new episodes of The Chocolate Empire
The best movies to stream

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, plus 10 real-life revolutionaries
Discover the origins of The Hunger Games in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and then stream 10 more shows and movies about real-life revolutionaries.

7 iconic Gen Z characters in series and movies on Showmax
Documentary series The Habits of Gen Z asks defining questions about South Africa’s youth. So we’ve turned to 7 series and movies to place Gen Z in a global context.

Showmax and Joburg Film Festival support emerging filmmakers
7 films from the first-time director slate will have their world premieres at this year’s Joburg Film Festival, from 11-16 March 2025, before streaming on Showmax from April.

11 Galentine’s Day movies
Love? Whatever. Friends forever! Gather your girl gang and get ready to celebrate the people who’ll be in your corner for the rest of your life with these 11 movies.