3 February 2020
The New Pope
This highly anticipated follow-up to the Emmy-nominated 2016 series, The Young Pope, sees Jude Law reprise his Golden Globe-nominated role as Pope Pius XIII, with Oscar nominee John Malkovich now leading the cast as Pope John Paul III (aka the The New Pope), who ascends to the throne while Pius is lying in a coma.
Silvio Orlando, Cécile de France, Javier Cámara and Ludivine Sagnier return in their roles from The Young Pope. Ulrich Thomsen (Banshee, The Black List) joins the cast this season, and look out for guest stars Sharon Stone and Marilyn Manson.
Once again helmed by legendary Italian director Paolo Sorrentino (writer/director of Oscar-winning foreign language film The Great Beauty), the series has already started collecting awards on the festival circuit, including at Venice, and made #3 on IMDB’s list of The Ten Most Anticipated TV shows of 2020.
The Guardian described the New Pope as “another deep dive into the hidden world of the Vatican City, marvelling at its mystique with agnostic fervour.”
Indiewire hailed it as “gorgeous and outrageous… one of the most unique, enigmatic, and exhilarating television experiences that you can watch for depth, for fun, or for a wild combination of both.”
Original African stories by local talent
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Nairobi Bachelor S1
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Spooksoeker S1
When Warno Alberts turns 15, he suddenly becomes aware of ghosts in his dorpie – and it’s now his job to banish them. Stream now, with new episodes every Thursday.
4Play
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Die Tollie & Manila Show
A bold talk show where SA celebs join drag queens Tollie Parton and Manila von Teez for an evening of conversation and games… in drag. Stream now, with new episodes every Monday.
The Station Strangler
The Station Strangler is a true-crime documentary investigating the serial killer who is believed to have killed 21 young boys and one adult from the late 80s to the mid-90s on the Cape Flats. Now available to stream.
Black & Blue S1
Black & Blue, a Showmax Original police-based mockumentary series, now streaming, with new episode every Wednesday.
Youngins S2, now on Showmax
Soft Life, now streaming on Showmax
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Great African Crimes with Mandy Wiener (2024)
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The 17-year-old Zarelda de Bruin plays Melissa in the Showmax Original Spooksoeker, now available to stream. Catch new episodes every Thursday.
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