
Blood Psalms
Made in South Africa
In Ancient Africa, the young Princess Zazi must save herself and her people from the end of the world. She faces warring tribes, angry gods – and her own father. Now streaming.
In Ancient Africa, one thousand years after the fall of Atlantis, the five surviving tribes face another danger: a prophecy which speaks of the end of the world.
Princess Zazi, daughter of the Akachi king, finds herself at the centre of the prophecy. She must face people plotting for power, angry gods and many dark secrets to save herself and her people. She doesn’t know that she’s at the centre of a blood pact made by her father with the god Heka years before, one that will shortly be coming home to roost.
Blood Psalms is a fantasy epic unlike anything made in South Africa before, created by award-winning duo Jahmil X.T. Qubeka and Layla Swart.
The incredible cast includes SAFTA winners like Mothusi Magano, Bongile Mantsai, Hamilton Dlamini and Zolisa Xaluva, as well as favourites like Thando Thabete, Faith Baloyi and Sello Maake Ka Ncube. Bokang Phelane takes on the role of a lifetime as Princess Zazi.
All episodes of Blood Psalms are now streaming.
Meet the cast

Senator Jabari (Richard Lukunku)
Senator Jabari is sent from the powerful Great Nziwemabwe to attend the King’s wedding. But he has another agenda: to regain their lost Northern Territories. Armed with superior weapons and a Golden Army, the Senator is a force to be reckoned with.

Queen Assili (Faith Baloyi)
Queen Assili is ruler of the mystical Uchawi kingdom and current Magi of the order, a position she came to through murder. She can control the elements – but when she cannot bring the rains, she must plot to keep her control of the king.

Sithenjwa (Zikhona Sodlaka)
The consort of Senator Jabari of Great Nziwemabwe, Sithenjwa is a woman with many secrets. Her past is the key to a central mystery in the story, as she hides her real intentions in coming to the Akachi kingdom.

General Toka (Zolisa Xaluva)
The well-respected general of the Akachi army, Toka is a man of many secrets. Born a Ku’ua, it has taken him many years to gain the trust of the Akachi. However, he has made many mistakes. He will play an integral role in the cataclysm to come.

Qotha (Hamilton Dlamini)
The heir to the Ku’ua Chiefdom, Qotha is a calculating man. Not a fan of war, he prefers rationality and fairness. He is aware that his father prefers his brother, Hlengu, and struggles to maintain respect within the tribe.

Hlengu (Bongile Mantsai)
The second-born son of Chief Xemantso of the warring Ku’ua tribe, Hlengu longs to return his tribe to their former warrior glory. He is not the heir to the chiefdom, however, and tussles with how to usurp his level-headed brother, Qotha.

Burutti (Mandisa Nduna)
Burutti lives among the mysterious Chini tribe, “the cursed ones”. She has strange dreams about a mysterious woman, sensing that they are somehow connected. Burutti does not yet know the extent of her powers, or the other secrets about her past.

Nkamanzu (Sello Maake Ka Ncube)
Nkamanzu, King Letsha’s calculating uncle, has grown weary of a string of power-hungry Akachi kings. Once the king descends into madness, Nkamanzu strives to pick up the pieces and bring democracy to the realm.

King Letsha (Mothusi Magano)
Troubled and paranoid, King Letsha sacrificed his wife to fulfil his blood pact with the god of magic, Heka. Manipulated by Queen Assili, he believes that to save his throne, he must now also kill his daughter, Princess Zazi.

Zazi (Bokang Phelane)
Heir to the Akachi throne, Princess Zazi is the key to an ancient prophecy which predicts cataclysmic events triggered by her 18th birthday. As the day approaches, her father must decide whether to sacrifice her to save his throne – and she must decide how to fight back.
Deeper into the world of Blood Psalms
More about Blood Psalms

Blood Psalms Ep 11 recap: End of daze
In the thrilling finale of fantasy series Blood Psalms, the end finally begins.
Made in South Africa

Blood Psalms episode 10 recap: The return of the gods
Everything you need to know about Showmax Original Blood Psalms episode 10: Insurrection and resurrection.
Made in South Africa

Blood Psalms episode 9 recap: Horus rising
Everything you need to know about Blood Psalms episode 9: Up in flames
Made in South Africa

Blood Psalms episode 8 recap: The wedding night
Everything you need to know about Blood Psalms episode 8 – now streaming only on Showmax.
Made in South Africa

Blood Psalms Episode 7 recap: Before the wedding
Everything you need to know about Blood Psalms Episode 7, and what’s been happening so far.
Made in South Africa

Stream hit series and movies from Jahmil XT Qubeka
Looking for superb local content? Check out these South African gems from the writer and director of Blood Psalms, Jahmil XT Qubeka.
South African

Blood Psalms episode 6: A day to the gods is a thousand years
Everything you need to know about Showmax Original Blood Psalms episode 6, now streaming: the morning of the wedding.
Made in South Africa

Blood Psalms episode 5 recap: Fire in the Hole
Everything you need to know about Blood Psalms episode 5 and the drunken madness at the palace.
Made in South Africa
In the press

On Citypress: Blood Psalms takes SA by storm
"Created by the geniuses behind the movie Knuckle City, Jahmil Qubeka and Layla Swart, the Showmax series is a solid star-studded cast of all time."
Made in South Africa

On EWN: SA stars shine in #1 Showmax fantasy series Blood Psalms
"The first two episodes of the Showmax original fantasy series launched on Wednesday and already the show has shot to the number one spot on the streaming platform."
Made in South Africa

On TV Mzansi: Blood Psalms debuts with glowing reviews
"Without a doubt, the best TV show ever created in Africa."
Made in South Africa
More from Mzansi

Hail to the queens in The River, eHostela, Outlaws and more
From Moretlo in Outlaws to Lindiwe in The River, these queens make the rules and show no mercy to those who try to stand in their way.
Made in South Africa

Isifiso S1
A woman contrives to marry her late sister’s rich husband, only to discover that he is far from the perfect man.
Made in South Africa

Arendsvlei S6
Afrikaans telenovela set at a fictional Cape Flats high school where teachers and pupils deal with issues like depression and addiction.
Made in South Africa

Stiekyt: The Afrikaans dark comedy set in a drag club
Written and directed by Etienne Fourie, this coming-of-age film follows a soap actor who starts moonlighting at a drag club.
Made in South Africa

“Showmax changed my life”- Lehlohonolo Mayeza of Outlaws
Mosotho actor Lehlohonolo Mayeza talks about his breakout role as Leruo Ts’eole in the Showmax Original Outlaws, and how it has changed his life. New episodes land Wednesday.
South African

Outlaws episodes 5-6 recap: “The heart wants what it wants”
In Outlaws Season 1 episodes 5-6, Leruo and Sihle’s love blossoms, while the body count in the war between the Zulus and the Basotho continues to rise.
Made in South Africa

“This interview is going to get me in s**t” – Zoe Mthiyane on Unfollowed
In episode 5 of Unfollowed S1, Generations: The Legacy actress Zoe Mthiyane speaks to host Thembekile Mrototo about Lebo M, Robert Marawa, Rapulana Seiphemo and more. New episodes land Wednesdays on Showmax.
Made in South Africa

20+ addictive South African reality shows to stream
Stream The Real Housewives of Durban, This Body Works For Me and more of South Africa’s best reality shows on Showmax.
Made in South Africa
Stunning fantasy series now streaming

Black Adam (2022)
Thousands of years after being given the powers of the gods, the ancient anti-hero Black Adam is freed, unleashing his own form of justice.

Vampire Academy S1
The thrilling supernatural teen drama, Vampire Academy Season 1, is filled with mystery, danger, and intrigue. Two friends from different classes must complete their education and enter royal vampire society.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
Dumbledore assigns Newt and his allies with a mission related to Grindelwald’s rising power in the epic third instalment.

The Harry Potter Boxset
You’re all set for a magical mega movie marathon with this boxset of all the Harry Potter movies.

The Dark Knight trilogy
The Batman story is retold with Christopher Nolan behind the camera and Christian Bale as a darker, moodier version of the superhero.

10 most brutal moments in House of the Dragon
The Game Of Thrones prequel, set nearly 200 years earlier, documents ferocious family drama in the quest for power.

House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel to HBO’s Game of Thrones. Watch all episodes on Showmax now, and rewatch all 8 seasons of Game of Thrones.

Fire reigns! House of the Dragon comes to Showmax
HBO’s prequel to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, is now available to binge-watch on Showmax.
Behind the characters in Blood Psalms
The heritage that inspired Blood Psalms
More Showmax Originals

“Showmax changed my life”- Lehlohonolo Mayeza of Outlaws
Mosotho actor Lehlohonolo Mayeza talks about his breakout role as Leruo Ts’eole in the Showmax Original Outlaws, and how it has changed his life. New episodes land Wednesday.
South African

Outlaws episodes 5-6 recap: “The heart wants what it wants”
In Outlaws Season 1 episodes 5-6, Leruo and Sihle’s love blossoms, while the body count in the war between the Zulus and the Basotho continues to rise.
Made in South Africa

“This interview is going to get me in s**t” – Zoe Mthiyane on Unfollowed
In episode 5 of Unfollowed S1, Generations: The Legacy actress Zoe Mthiyane speaks to host Thembekile Mrototo about Lebo M, Robert Marawa, Rapulana Seiphemo and more. New episodes land Wednesdays on Showmax.
Made in South Africa

Watch the trailer for Boetie Boer: Inside The Mind Of A Monster
See the chilling first trailer for the Showmax Original true-crime series Boetie Boer: Inside the Mind of a Monster, coming 18 October 2023.
Made in South Africa