Beginning February this year, Showmax will get a brand-new look, a new app, and entirely new product suite, the company said in a blog post today.
The move finalises the partnership between MultiChoice and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky that it announced last year. 21 Showmax Originals, including five Nigerian titles, will begin streaming on the new app next month. It will also roll out a revamped international content slate, and a Premier League mobile streaming plan.
"More than 1,300 hours of new Showmax Originals will be released in 2024 across Africa so viewers will be able to watch an average of more than 3.5 hours of fresh local content on Showmax every day of the year," it said in the blog post.
Epic drama series, Cheta’m, directed by James Omokwe, who is known for his works on Diiche and Itura, a reality TV series, Sadau Sisters, starring Nigerian actress Rahama Sadau and her three sisters, a documentary series, Freemen, a romantic comedy feature The Counsellor and the second season of the hit drama series Flawsome are part of its new slate of programming.
Showmax, once viewed as an underdog in the streaming wars, was able to win over audiences in an arena that include Netflix and Amazon-backed Prime Video, jockeying for new audiences and new content.
But Showmax, owned by MultiChoice was able to win in part due to its experience as a long time leader in the African content industry.
In August 2023 it announced wunderkind TV writer, Dami Elebe as the new head writer for the second season of its Flawsome.
It hasn't yet announced the release dates for many titles on its new slate. The Counsellor is the only movie with a confirmed release date of February 14, 2024, alongside Forever Yena, Intlawulo and Matilda en Matthys from South Africa.
Other titles making their debut next month include Red Ink, Catch Me A Killer based on the memoir of Micki Pistorius, South Africa’s first serial killer profiler, Chocolate Kings about male exotic dancers, Ghana-set dating show What Will People Say? and new seasons of hits like The Mommy Club and The Real Housewives of Durban, Single Kiasi (Kenya) and ENO (Ghana).
There’s also high school drama Youngins, from Emmy nominees Tshedza Pictures, university drama Wyfie, crime drama Koek, comedy Ekhaya Backpackers.