The upcoming films and series are Savage Beauty, Miseducation, Yoh’ Christmas, Blood & Water, Young, Famous, & African, Kandasamys: The Baby, Heart of the Hunter, and Soweto Love Story.
By Hope Ibiale
Netflix continues to strengthen its partnership with Africa as it announces a new slate of upcoming South African films and series. The soon-to-be-released films and series were unveiled during a panel tagged “See What’s Next on Netflix”. The upcoming films and series are Savage Beauty, Miseducation, Yoh’ Christmas, Blood & Water, Young, Famous, & African, Kandasamys: The Baby, Heart of the Hunter, and Soweto Love Story. The popular streaming platform also announced multi-title partnerships with African production houses and filmmakers.
“We are incredibly excited to continue with our investment in South African storytelling and to expand our relationships with these amazing storytellers”, said Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s VP of content for the Middle East and Africa. “These long-term partnerships with local filmmakers have enabled us to uncover unique perspectives and diverse stories from South Africa to entertain our more than 238 million members worldwide. This is why we’re committed to investing in South Africa’s creative industry and showcasing the incredible talent the country has to offer.”
Set for release on September 15, 2023, Miseducation follows the story of a rising social media influencer Mbali Hadebe (Buntu Petse), who gets cancelled after her mother gets exposed as a corrupt politician. Joined by Baby Cele, Lunga Shabalala, Micaela Tucker, Prev Reddy, Sechaba Ramphele, and many others, viewers will witness Mbali try to rebuild her life and escape her mother’s legacy.
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Yoh’ Christmas is a new holiday series produced by Johnny Barbuzano, Tiffany Barbuzano, and Morishe Matlejoane. More details about the release date and cast will be unveiled soon.
Originally released in 2021, the popular South African drama series, Blood & Water, is returning to the screens for its fourth season. The series, which was written and directed by Nosipho Dumisa, will be released in the first quarter of 2024.
Created by Lebogang Mogashoa, the second season of Savage Beauty will join the upcoming South African series coming to Netflix. The series will follow the story of the Bhengu family and the many secrets that lie beneath all their fame. The series is expected to launch in 2024.
Popular reality show, Young, Famous & African will make an exciting return to Netflix for its third season. The series will feature an all-star cast from South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ghana.
Written and directed by Jayan Moodley, Kandasamys: The Baby, is the next chapter from the Kandasamys franchise. The film, which was shot in South Africa and Mauritius, will air on Netflix on October 20, 2023.
Heart of the Hunter is a book adaptation of Deon Meyer’s Heart of the Hunter. The film will premiere on Netflix in the first quarter of 2024.
Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, Soweto Love Story is a romantic comedy that will debut on Netflix in 2024.
(Read also: Kayode Kasum’s Film, Something Like Gold, Set to Debut in Cinemas in September)
In addition to the upcoming films and series, Netflix also partnered with top African production houses and filmmakers. Some of these filmmakers include Mandla Dube, Akin Omotoso (Ochre Media), Jayan Moodley, Donovan Marsh, Gambit Films, Stained Glass Productions, and Black Brain Pictures.
The South African-based Nigerian filmmaker, Akin Omotoso, and Ochre Media have inked a multi-title book partnership. However, the titles of the book adaptations have yet to be disclosed. Some books that can be expected are Femi Osofisan’s Pirates, Wole Soyinka’s Ibadan, Helon Habila’s Waiting For an Angel, and Teju Cole’s Everyday is for the Thief.
While Dube has been booked for a three-picture deal, Marsh inked a three-picture film partnership. Moodley has landed a three-picture collaboration, starting with the Kandasamys franchise’s next chapter. Production houses, Gambit Films, Stained Glass Productions, and Black Brain Pictures have also signed multi-title partnerships for different films and series.