Soccer fans set to benefit from Showmax’s game-changing product
“OLé, Olé, Olé”– soccer fans have scored big with Showmax’s new offering billed as“Africa’s first standalone (English) Premier League mobile streaming plan”.
On Monday, the leading streamer unveiled the launch of its reasonably priced new package, which will see local sports viewers accessing all 380 Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season.
The new Showmax features various cheaper packages, as the streamer moves to revolutionise streaming for Africa. In addition, the streamer will refashion its entertainment content with a record 21 African Originals releasing in February.
As part of the ambitious stockpiling move, the streamer is promising “more than 1,300 hours of Showmax Originals across Africa releasing this year – averaging more than 3.5 hours of brand-new local content daily.”
“There are 450 million smartphones in the hands of individuals across Africa – and more than 250 million avid football lovers on the continent, so we believe Showmax Premier League is a game-changing product that gives individuals a ticket to the football they love, wherever they are, on a device they always have with them, at a price that’s impossible not to love,” said Marc Jury, CEO of Showmax.
The new shows set to première next month including the much-anticipated serial killer thriller Red Ink and international co-prod Catch Me A Killer. Another new titles set to debut include Youngins; from Tshedza Pictures producers of The River, Adulting and Outlaws.
Other new scripted originals include Wyfie, Cheta’m, Koek and Ekhaya Backpackers.
Red Ink depicts the story of a journalist turned publicist, Lucy Khambule, who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer named Napoleon Dingiswayo (Bonko Khoza) to tell his story.
SAFTA nominee Nqobile Nunu Khumalo will portray Khambule, with Lorcia Cooper also making an appearance in the show.
Charlotte Hope, known for her role as Myranda in Game of Thrones, lead the cast of Catch Me a Killer as Micki Pistorius, SA’s first-ever serial-killer profiler. The true crime series is adapted from Pistorius’ memoir which is set in the mid-90s and traces Pistorius’ quest, as a newly qualified forensic psychologist, to track down SA’s most feared killers.
“We’re committed to empowering local filmmakers to tell their stories in their languages for their communities, across a broad range of genres, so there’s never been a better time to be an African filmmaker,” said Joe Heshu, Showmax chief operations officer.
Viewers will also be spoiled with Valentine’s Day-themed movies Forever Yena and Intlawulo.
New reality shows Widows Unveiled and Chocolate Kings will also debut, with the latter following the lives of male exotic dancers. Sowetan understands that Widows Unveiled will centre around HHP’s widow Lerato Sengadi, Mandoza’s wife Mpho Tshabalala and Menzi Ngubane’s widow Sikelelo Sishuba.
There will be new seasons of The Mommy Club and The Real Housewives of Durban being showcased early in the year.
Other productions include The Counsellor, Free Men and Flawsome from Nigeria; plus Single Kiasi (Kenya) and ENO (Ghana).
“Nobody understands Africa like we do. Showmax is putting the continent first with a powerful streaming service that will revolutionise streaming in Africa in 2024,” said Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice Group.