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Friday, July 29, 2022

New Channel Alert (Rumour): More SuperSport Action Coming To DStv

SuperSport has been the pioneer in both local and internationally acclaimed sports whether you're viewing PSL, WWE, Moto GP or LaLiga. The brand offers the very best in sports and if you're DStv Premium subscriber there's no denying in its excellence.

For nearly a decade, SuperSport had been a premium tiered brand and over the years opened their doors to more consumers. In some neighbouring countries, Access consumers can enjoy the best of Football with SuperSport Football and DStv Easyview consumers get Variety 4.

In South Africa, the closest Access has gotten to the big leagues was on Variety 4 with Easyview reliant on Blitz as costs built a barrier with SuperSport and also let the door open for rivals like SABC Sport to distribute some of this content at a lower price.

But as seen during the week, SuperSport has begun experimenting on two channels both of which supply lot of existing like 7 Colour Fitness, Track And Field Weekly, UEFA Women's Euro, FIBA and Soccer Champions Tour deeming it useless to top and mid tier consumers and of value to the masses.

The possible addition of the supposed channels could bring ease to consumers leaning toward the SABC and also puts the platform in a better position to compete with the SABC Sport brand on the Openview and TelkomOne platform.

Roundups #79: Eragon Live-Action Series In Development For Disney+, iCarly Renewed On Paramount+ For Season 3 And Upcoming Disney Channel Series Hamster And Gretel Gets Season 2 Renewal

Eragon coming to Disney+

Disney+ is developing a live-action television series adaptation of Eragon, based on Christopher Paolini’s popular YA book series The Inheritance Cycle. Eragon is the first book in the series.

Paolini will co-write the series and executive produce with Bert Salke executive producing via his Co-Lab 21 banner as part of his deal with Disney Television Studios. 20th Television is the studio.

In the series adaptation, a teenage boy becomes magically joined with a newly-hatched dragon. Together, they must learn what it means to be dragon and Rider as they fight in the resistance against a tyrannical king.

iCarly remains active

iCarly fans can breathe easy: It appears the major Creddie cliffhanger at the end of Season 2 will be resolved. Paramount+ said Wednesday that it has renewed the hit revival series iCarly for a third season. Production will get underway later this year for a 2023 premiere on Paramount+.

The original iCarly series, produced by Nickelodeon, ran from 2007-2012. Starring Cosgrove, Trainor, Kress and Jennette McCurdy, it followed a group of best friends creating a webcast while grappling with everyday problems and adventures. During its original run, iCarly became a pop-culture staple and regularly broke viewership records among audiences of all ages.

iCarly is produced by Nickelodeon Studios and is executive produced by Ali Schouten-Seeks (Young & Hungry, Diary of a Future President) and Cosgrove, with Schouten serving as showrunner. Trainor, Kress and Alissa Vradenburg (The Simple Life) serve as producers.

Upcoming show gets season 2 on Disney Channel

Hamster And Gretel is the upcoming new cartoon on Disney Afternoon Mornings on Disney Channel along with Big City Greens,Amphibia,The Owl House Specials,The Ghost And Molly McGee and Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur and we have more exclusive news

3 months ago series writter Jim Bernstein confirmed that the series will debut in 2022 after that we got contacted by Jim and he told us thats the expected date for the crew to air, but the month and day is still to be decided by Disney.

Yesterday Dan Povenmire answered some questions on Tik Tok where he answered that the series is coming in 2022, however month is still to be decided, our best bet is Fall 2022 like The Ghost And Molly McGee with a Season 2 Renewal, Chibi Tiny Tales, Soundtrack, Guest Star List and Disney Channel FanShop Merch.

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Cartoon Network Africa Celebrates Every Kid’s Uniqueness With Its New Brand Campaign ‘Redraw Your World’

It’s time to redraw your world! On the 1st of August, Africa’s leading kid’s entertainment channel, Cartoon Network, is launching the new EMEA-wide brand campaign ‘Redraw Your World’ - celebrating every child’s uniqueness and encouraging them to be confident and happy in themselves.

The campaign inspires kids to be the catalyst for change they want to see, whether in the form of extraordinary talents, everyday acts of kindness, or having the courage just to be themselves. Whether they use art, activism, laughter or music, Cartoon Network’s ‘Redraw Your World’ encourages all kids to march to the beat of their own drum.

12-year-old South African-British viral music sensation, Nandi Bushell, is on board to help bring the fresh brand campaign to life in a new music video anthem, which is a hybrid of animation and live-action by the kids and for the kids, that aims to inspire and empower them to embrace their true selves.

Best known for her drumming skills and performing covers of prevalent rock songs, Nandi has drawn the attention of several musicians, including the Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl, where she even joined the band on stage to play their classic hit, Everlong, live at the LA Forum. “It really is exciting to be part of a movement that encourages us to be true to ourselves and embrace our uniqueness. This collaboration with Cartoon Network shows that as children, we are fearless and have the power to make a real difference in the world,” says Nandi Bushell.

The vibrant and fun multiplatform campaign will feature kids doing amazing things in their everyday lives, from mastering the art of roller-skating or karate to balancing a football while brushing their teeth or breakdancing, catch a snippet of all the action here. Many of Cartoon Network’s much-loved characters, including Gumball and Darwin, the We Baby Bears trio, and the Teen Titans Go! gang will also feature reacting to the inspirational talents of their fans

Monika Oomen, VP, Brand Communications and Franchise Management, Kids, EMEA, says, “Every day, we are inspired by our fans, and now Cartoon Network wants to encourage each and every one of them to celebrate themselves; whoever they are, whatever they do and however they do it. Redraw Your World has been created to empower kids to feel happy in their authenticity and to reassure them that everyone matters. Cartoon Network’s irreverent, funny and inclusive style is mirrored in this campaign, providing us with a platform to showcase the absolutely amazing kids of today.”

New Series Alert: Mexican Ripoff Of Second Chance Titled Love To Death Rolling Out On StarTimes And Possible TLNovelas Africa

StarTimes, a Chinese electronic and media company which established a strong presence in Sub-Saharan Africa serving as a competitor to MultiChoice and Azam TV will soon to be rolling out the 2018 Mexican telenovela from Televisa titled Love To Death starring Angelique Boyer and Michel Brown.

Based on the 1992 telenovela En Cuerpo Ajeno, Love To Death (Amar A Muerte) is a complex story of destinies that intersect when a media mogul, Leon Carvajal, is stabbed on his wedding day, at the same time that an assassin, Macario "El Chino" Valdez, is executed in the electric chair. Leon is reincarnated in the body of El Chino Valdez and, in turn, El Chino's soul ends up in the body of a professor of anthropology, Beltran Camacho, who dies in a car accident. Now, each man will not only have to deal with a new body, but also adapt to a new soul.

Leon now in the body of El Chino leaves El Chino's family and immigrates to Mexico. Leon gets a new identity, Jacobo Reyes, and he begins to work as a driver in his home with the help of his best friend, Camilo. Leon/Jacobo is now trying to figure out who was responsible for his death, he also finds out his new young wife, Lucia, betrayed him with his most loyal friend, Johnny. His kids have problems of their own; his oldest daughter Eva is involved with a Drug Cartel, his son Guille does not want to work in his media company, and his youngest daughter Valentina is discovering her sexuality. He will take this second chance to fix the problems he never knew of. Starting by making Lucia fall in love with him so he could find out the truth about his death.

El Chino, now in Beltran's body, will have the opportunity to have a family. He will learn to be a good father and a good husband. He will also use this new body to his advantage to try to defeat the leaders of the drug cartel he worked for while in his original body. Beltran/Chino will also get help from a rip-off fortune teller woman who will receive powers to talk to the dead.

Trying to figure out why they are back in different bodies is not the only problem. Leon/Jacobo will have to avoid being discovered as El Chino Valdez by the police and the drug cartel. Beltran/Chino will have to find his body, Leon/Jacobo, and try to protect his real family from the cartel whom are after him.

They will begin to meet others who are just like them, reincarnated. They must find out their purpose and they will all be connected through a butterfly tattoo that extends and bleeds when they mess up.

Love To Death won't be the only Televisa production rolling out in the coming months even Head Over Heels makes a dash on TLNovelas.

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

New Series Alert: Jambo WWE Coming Soon To SuperSport

Starting this Thursday (28 July at 7pm), SuperSport will launch a brand new series that is made just for the WWE Universe in Africa. JAMBO WWE, a high-energy 30-minute weekly show, will be the fans’ all-access pass to all things WWE.

WWE JAMBO will deliver a unique twist to the breaking news, exclusive interviews and hottest stories in WWE that have all of Africa talking, as well as previews and recaps of Raw, SmackDown, NXT and Premium Live Events, including SummerSlam and Clash at the Castle.

The show is designed to showcase the goings-on in WWE from an African perspective, hence the name itself, the Swahili word for “hello”.

JAMBO WWE will take a fresh approach with regards to presenters. These include Lwazi Volsak, Rosa-Lena Mabunda Mondlane, plus Emeilio Michaels and Vasilis Argyrides. As WWE experts themselves, the presenters will carry the show with their banter and lively debate in short, sharp bursts, ensuring a show of pace and power.

The show will also showcase WWE outside of regular programming. This will include interviews with superfans and members of the WWE Universe across the continent, guest celebrities, classic archive content, community activities and giveaways of WWE merchandise.

The graphics on JAMBO WWE will be boldly African, reflecting the African continent while also including the colours of WWE’s three flagship brands.

The weekly show will be broadcast every Thursday to supplement the weekly live broadcasts of Raw, SmackDown and NXT, which continue to be hugely popular with SuperSport viewers.

BROADCAST DETAILS
WWE JAMBO launches this Thursday at 7pm on WWE Channel 128 and SuperSport Grandstand. It will also be broadcast on SS Variety 3 and 3A.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

New WWE Network Series Premiering Amidst SummerSlam Weekend

WWE took to YouTube earlier today to release the trailer for their new upcoming show on the WWE Network and Peacock TV. The show is called “This is Awesome” and will focus on moments in WWE’s past that made fans shocked, totally speechless, and even brought to tears.

This is Awesome will be hosted by Greg Miller and different WWE superstars as they go back and check out moments throughout WWE history that made the WWE fans chant, “This is awesome!” Some potentially awesome moments were referenced in the trailer as we saw glimpses of Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, and Ms. Elizabeth’s wedding, TLC 2, and The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

 

This is Awesome will join shows already on the WWE Network and Peacock TV, such as WWE Evil, Ruthless Aggression, Table for 3, and Stone Cold’s Broken Skull Sessions. How many episodes we will see, how long each episode will be, etc., is unknown, as not much is known about the series beyond the premise.

For those who don’t know Greg Miller, he is an internet celebrity and voice actor, best known for his time in IGN, where he hosted some of their podcasts, most notably, Up At Noon. Miller also started his own YouTube channel, GamesOverGreggy, which he and a couple of his former IGN coworkers rebranded to Kinda Funny. Kinda Funny is also the name used for the company that Miller and his coworkers started in 2015. Miller also has voice-acted in many video games, namely the Lego games. He appeared in Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 as Howard the Duck, Lego DC Super-Villians as Polka-Dot Man, and Lego Marvel’s Avengers as the voice of Aldrich Killian. Miller has also provided voice work for Oddworld: Soulstorm and The Solitaire Conspiracy.

WWE’s “This is Awesome” debuts on Peacock TV in the US and the WWE Network everywhere else this Friday.

Marvel Reveals Phase 6 MCU Plans, Including 2 New Avengers Films

After beginning its Saturday Comic-Con panel by revealing that Phase 4 will end with this year's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios blew through Phase 5 announcements, right into its post-2024 plans with some Phase 6 updates.

Yes, that's right, we got updates on three Marvel Cinematic Universe phases from Marvel.

Similar to The Infinity Saga -- the name given at the end of Phase 3 to refer to the first phases of films -- the next trio now has a name of its own (thanks in part, we assume, to Kang!): The Multiverse Saga.

 

Just three films were shown onscreen during the Phase 6 announcement, however, including two Avengers films:
•Fantastic Four will release Nov. 8, 2024
•Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on May 2, 2025
•Avengers: Secret Wars on Nov. 7, 2025

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Deadline after the panel that the Russo brothers aren't involved with the next Avengers project. Feige also declined to name the "thematics" of the announced phases, telling Deadline that the studio doesn't usually like to discuss each phase until it's complete, because "all of our stories are both interconnected and hopefully stand apart."

We may also get more insight into those open dates at D23 this September, but for now, we might as well bask in the possibilities. Earlier in panel, Marvel announced its Phase 5 schedule as well:
 

•Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania : Feb, 17, 2023
•Secret Invasion (Disney Plus show) : Spring 2023
•Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: May 5, 2023
•Echo (Disney Plus show) : Summer 2023
•Loki, season 2 (Disney Plus show): Summer 2023
•The Marvels: July 28, 2023
•Ironheart (Disney Plus show) : Fall 2023
•Blade: Nov. 3, 2023
•Agatha, Coven of Chaos (Disney Plus show, name changed from Agatha: House of Harkness): Winter 2023-24
•Daredevil: Born Again (Disney Plus show) : Spring 2024
•Captain America: New World Order : May 3, 2024
•Thunderbolts: July 26, 2024

We'll have a lot of Marvel to get through in the coming years.

Special Assignment Axed After 24 Years On SABC 3

The SABC has decided to cancel the public broadcaster's long-running weekly Special Assignment investigative magazine programme on SABC3 after 24 years, blaming low TV ratings.

The last episode is set to air on 2 August.

Special Assignment's viewership drop on SABC3 is however not unique, with the majority of SABC3's programming schedule struggling in the South African TV ratings race.

SABC3 is currently the public broadcaster’s channel with the lowest ratings among its three major TV channels.

 

The channel has also felt the brunt of the impact of the South African government and Sentech's switch-off of analogue TV signal transmitters in the switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

Special Assignment's timeslot will be filled with a shortened version of the longer SABC News (DStv 404) channel's studio-based programme, It's Topical, while SABC News and SABC3 consider the option of a new investigative magazine show for the public broadcaster.

Special Assignment, which first aired in August 1998, has been competing over decades in the investigative television journalism space with e.tv's 3rd Degree hosted by Debora Patta and later Checkpoint with Nkepile Mabuse, as well as Devi fronted by Devi Sankaree Govender also on e.tv and eNCA (DStv 403); and the long-running Carte Blanche on M-Net (DStv 101) from Combined Artistic Productions.

 

The SABC used the chaotic and disorganised behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the broadcast of an episode of Special Assignment on 14 September 2021 about the towtruck-industry which should still have been held back by the broadcaster following a court interdict, as evidence to get rid of the former SABC News boss Phathiswa Magopeni, arguing that she was responsible for not preventing the episode from being aired and negligent.

Special Assignment executive producer Busisiwe Ntuli who testified in Phathiswa Magopeni's disciplinary hearing, supported her, saying the mistake of airing the episode was not the news division or Special Assignment's fault but due to an issue with the original and replacement programme codes being similar which is the responsibility of the SABC's video entertainment department.

Phathiswa Magopeni said that the SABC used the Special Assignment issue to "hound" her out of the public broadcaster.

About Special Assignment's abrupt cancellation, Moshoeshoe Monare, SABC News boss, told staff in a letter that the show is now getting axed because Special Assignment "has lost its mojo and signature influence, with the consequential effects being loss of audience".

Ndindi Cola, SABC spokesperson, didn't respond to a media query made last week about the canning of Special Assignment and questions around it, including what will be happening to staff who have been working on the show.

“Rise” To Premiere On ESPN Africa This August

ESPN Africa today announced that the Disney+ original film Rise, will have its linear premiere across the continent on ESPN (DStv 218, Starsat 248) on Monday 1 August at 20:00. Directed by Akin Omotoso, Rise is based on the triumphant true-life story of the remarkable family that produced the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league - Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and former Los Angeles Laker Kostas Antetokounmpo.

In this powerful, uplifting film, viewers will witness how one family’s vision, determination and faith lifted them out of obscurity to launch the career of two-time MVP Giannis and his brothers, Thanasis and Kostas. Last season, Giannis and Thanasis helped bring the Bucks their first NBA championship ring in 50 years, while Kostas played for the previous season champs, the Lakers.

 

After immigrating to Greece from Nigeria, Vera and Charles Antetokounmpo struggled to survive and provide for their five children, while living under the daily threat of deportation. With their oldest son still in Nigeria with relatives, the couple were desperate to obtain Greek citizenship but found themselves undermined by a system that blocked them at every turn. When they weren’t selling items to tourists on the streets of Athens with the rest of the family, the brothers would play basketball with a local youth team. Latecomers to the sport, they discovered their great abilities on the basketball court and worked hard to become world-class athletes. With the help of an agent, Giannis entered the NBA Draft in 2013 in a long-shot prospect that would change not only his life but the lives of his entire family.

Newcomers Uche Agada and Ral Agada - also real-life brothers - portray young Giannis and Thanasis, with Jaden Osimuwa and Elijah Sholanke as their younger two brothers, Kostas and Alexandros (“Alex”), respectively. Dayo Okeniyi (“Emperor,” “Shades of Blue”) and Yetide Badaki (“American Gods,” “This Is Us”) play their parents, Charles and Veronica (“Vera”), with Manish Dayal as Giannis’ tenacious agent, Kevin Stefanides, and Taylor Nichols as John Hammond, general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rise is directed by Akin Omotoso (“Vaya”) and written by Arash Amel (“A Private War”), with Bernie Goldmann (“300”) producing and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Douglas S. Jones as executive producers. Co-producers are Andreas Dimitriou and Michael Foutras.

Broadcast slots
Premiere:
Monday 1 August at 20:00
Repeat broadcasts:
Tuesday 2 August at 10:45 and 18:00
Monday 8 August at 20:00
Tuesday 9 August 10:45 and 18:00

How to tune in:

ESPN: DStv 218, Starsat 248 
 
All times are stated in CAT / SAST.
Schedule subject to change