Roundups #98: JimJam Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Mumfie, Brotherhood Brethren Resurfaces On Novela Magic And New Series Queer Of Jozi Launching Soon On MTV Africa

Mumfie Travels The Globe With New Sales

Mumfie is on the move. After debuting earlier this year in France and Italy, Zodiak’s preschool series about a lovable elephant is now branching out from that starting point, thanks to a raft of new sales brokered by distributor Banijay Kids and Family.

The CG-animated series (78 x seven minutes) has been picked up by ITVBe in the UK; Cartoonito (Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, South Korea); AMC Network International’s preschool channel JimJam (CEE, MENA, Portugal); SVT (Sweden); and ejunior (UAE).

Based on the ’90s series Magic Adventures of Mumfie that was created by Britt Allcroft (Thomas & Friends), Mumfie tells the story of a friendly, optimistic elephant and his best friends—a flying pig named Pinkey and a color-changing jellyfish named Jelly Bean—as they find adventure in daily life.

More entertainment coming to Novela Magic

Action drama Brotherhood Brethren was one of the Nigerian series from Africa Magic that hit television screens in 2019. Also on Showmax, the show has been met with lots of enthusiasm from fans online.

Brotherhood Brethren tells the story of two adopted brothers – Dobara aka Bara (Etim Effiong) and Dagogo aka Dags Kurukeme (Frankincense Eche-Ben). Through Bara, we’re introduced to the men and women of the elite crime-fighting squad, Special Crimes Unit (SCU), and the challenges they face in their quest to rid the city of crime, particularly the notorious Aja Isale Eko gang.

Brethren is produced by ace Nigerian filmmaker, Femi Odugbemi, the brain behind several other successful shows such as Battleground and Tinsel, both on Showmax. Odugbemi has always been known for his penchant to mix veterans and talented newcomers in his cast, and Brethren is no different.

The series premieres 28th September on Novela Magic

The queer community getting more love

MTV, an international reality channel owned by Paramount home to various shows like Catfish, Teen Moms and Ridiculousness alongside award shows and live events is set to introduce a queer centred series, Queers Of Jozi.

Larger than life personalities and the faces of fashion, take on the City Of Gold. Relationships intertwined with drama and tantrums in the ever-evolving life of a Queer.

The series premieres on the 24th October on MTV

 

Roundups #97: Harley Quinn Renewed For Season 4 On HBO Max, Till Jail Do Us Apart Currently Streaming On Peacock And Brie Larson On Returning As Captain Marvel

Harley Quinn is bringing on the action

HBO Max has renewed the (very) adult animated DC series for a fourth season, a few weeks ahead of the Sept. 15 finale for season three. The series will also have a new showrunner in season four: Sarah Peters, who has written for Harley Quinn throughout its run and is currently a consulting producer, will serve as executive producer and showrunner, taking over for Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker.

“Patrick Schumacker, Justin Halpern and their incredible team of artists and writers have created something so explosively funny and original, and we are thrilled to continue this journey with them and the show’s legion of fans,” said Billy Wee, senior vp comedy and animation at HBO Max. “It has been amazing to watch the show grow and evolve this season and we could not ask for a more talented and dedicated team of collaborators.”

Season three of Harley Quinn has followed Harley (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) as they return to Gotham as the new power couple of DC villainy. “Harlivy” strives to become the best version of themselves while also working toward Ivy’s long-desired plan of transforming Gotham into an Eden paradise.

Kate Del Castillo starring in a new Peacock drama series

Kate del Castillo, Roselyn Sánchez, Sylvia Sáenz and Jeimy Osorio star in the new Peacock series, “Til Jail Do Us Part.” The  drama, out Sept. 15, which shows the wealthy women’s husbands unexpectedly getting arrested for being linked to the same criminal organization.

Accustomed to a life of abundance, the four women reluctantly move in together as their previously carefree and luxurious lives are turned upside down. As they begin to get interrogated by detectives in hopes that they tell their husbands’ secrets, they have to get along to get by.

Originally filmed in Spanish, “Til Jail Do Us Part” was dubbed in English by the four leads, “elevating the viewing experience regardless of language preferences,” the press release states.

The future of Captain Marvel

Brie Larson is not sure whether she will be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) after The Marvels. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that she is uncertain about her future as one of the strongest Avengers.

Brie was introduced to the MCU in the 2019 release Captain Marvel. Upon its release, both the movie and Brie received a fair bit of trolling and hate. In fact, the reviews were also largely middling at first. It now has a 79 per cent rating by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience vote reflects a poor figure of 45 per cent.

Speaking about the Marvel movies and her own participation in it, Brie said, “I don’t know. Does anyone want me to do it again? I really don’t know. I don’t have the answer to that.”

 

Season Six Continues To Unleash Rick And Morty’s Particular Brand Of Animated Multiverse Madness Around The World!

As the new season of Rick and Morty unleashes around the world, fans have turned out in droves to celebrate Adult Swim’s Emmy® Award-winning animated comedy.

Debuting in 112 countries in 38 languages, Rick and Morty season six captured substantial international viewership. Rick and Morty has continued to grow in the US since season six’s premiere early this month. After only three days, the first episode of Rick and Morty saw a 57% growth in delivery, bringing its overall delivery to 1 033 000 viewers.  Rick and Morty is also the best-performing animated show on HBO Max in Europe since the platform launched. And in the top 10 best-performing series on HBO Max in Europe in 2022. HBO Max in Latin America reported a Rick and Morty viewership growth of over 500% in the week following the debut of the season six premiere episode on the service.

Monday, 12 September, marked the conclusion of the global Rick and Morty #WORMAGEDDON immersive fan experience, which galvanised fans both online and in-person to partake in a special 'living episode' of their favourite show leading up to the season six premiere. Since the first build was revealed in Mexico City on 20 August, over 100 000 fans showed up in person to one or more of the 14 unique scenes spotted on six continents.

Watch the reveal of the South African immersive build here.

“It’s so satisfying to see people around the world showing up, literally in person this time, for this new season of Rick and Morty,” said Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. “It speaks volumes about the talent and care that go into making this amazing series.”

With some fans travelling to multiple countries to visit different unique builds and nine lucky fans winning the treasure hunt to receive a coveted life-size, golden ‘Rick’ head, #WORMAGEDDON reached Rick and Morty fans in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and several cities in the United States.

Rick and Morty fan, Henning Gawrisch from Muizenberg, walked away with a golden Rick head.

The sixth Wormageddon scene appeared in South Africa. It featured the Rick and Morty character, Tiny Rick, chilling out and eating ice cream with one of the worms at the Muizenberg Beach Huts in Cape Town. The first clue for South Africa was released on Friday, 26 August, at 4pm. Only 20 minutes later, Henning Gawrisch from Muizenberg was lucky to get to the location first, say the code word, and win the golden ‘Rick’ head. The immersive build on Muizenberg beach was a special partnership with the Beach Hut Trust. The site was visited by close to 3 500 visitors.

The Beach Hut Trust was established to promote, protect and preserve the Beach Huts of Cape Town. A public and private partnership that recognises the Beach Huts as arguably South Africa’s most iconic structures and the value that has to tourism and job creation. “Partnering with Rick and Morty and the Adult Swim team was an incredible opportunity for us to promote our city and country to a huge audience around the world,” says Daniel Blaauw, Trustee of the Beach Hut Trust. “Their generous sponsorship of our campaign has proven that the Beach Huts hold value not only for us but to a vast international audience. The partnership created employment and will help sustain our initiative as we grow and create more opportunities.”

Additionally, fans at home could follow along with the global adventure via a series of custom animated shorts about the origins of #WORMAGEDDON including A Citadel Secret, A Journey to Earth, Threat Level: Wormageddon, and Wormageddon: Final Showdown, alongside original videos featuring each build. The original #WORMAGEDDON video content has received over 75 million global views and counting. Several million views came from South Africa alone in partnership with five Cape Town-based social media content creators. Notable highlights from content created in South Africa include a version of the iconic Rick and Morty  'Let Me Out' song by Hanna Kuruneri and Liam Stoffberg’s hilarious take on the #WORMAGEDDON campaign. Watch the key moments of the global campaign here.

“It’s absolutely electrifying to witness the Rick and Morty fan community from different countries around the world coming together to celebrate this series,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer for Warner Bros. Discovery Kids, Young Adults and Classics group. “We knew the power of the Rick and Morty fandom, but it’s still nothing short of astounding to find how many fans took the time to visit one of our 14 custom builds in person or to follow the adventure online.”

New episodes of season 6 continue to premiere throughout September in southern Africa on Mondays on Netflix, only 24 hours after the US premiere. 

 

Roundups #96: Madagascar: A Little Wild Makes Its Linear Debut On e.tv, The Really Not So Loud House Makes Its Debut On Nickelodeon And First Look Into Spider-Man: Freshman Year

More animation coming to DreamWorks SA

e.tv, South Africa's free-to-air entertainment channel independently owned by eMedia Investments that is home to locally produced series is set to launch another preschool series from DreamWorks Animation on their kids block Craze titled Madagascar: A Little Wild.

Adapting to the Kamp Koral feels, the series looks into the early lives of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, as they grow up in a rescue habitat at the Central Park Zoo.

The series ended its run earlier in the year with a combined total of 51 episodes divided between 8 seasons. It's currently streaming on Showmax and Netflix with e.tv set to join the pack on Wednesdays at 14:55 from 28 September.

Lincoln Loud enters the real world

Produced by Nickelodeon Studios, the series follows the success of the live-action movie, A Loud House Christmas, which became TV’s top kids’ entertainment telecast of 2021 when it premiered on Nickelodeon in November. The 10-episode series began filming in June in Albuquerque, N.M. The series was announced by Brian Robbins, President & Chief Executive Officer, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon, and Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family, Paramount+, at Nickelodeon’s annual upfront presentation held at New York City’s Palladium Times Square in March.

The series is also expected to be available to stream on Paramount+.

“As one of Nick’s most beloved animated franchises, The Loud House has made its way into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe,” said Shauna Phelan, Co-Head of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. “When we brought the animated world of Royal Woods to life with A Loud House Christmas, it instantly became a holiday favorite for both new and loyal fans alike, and I just know that they will love what our amazing creative team is preparing for this new live-action series.”

The live-action The Loud House series will follow Lincoln Loud, an 11 year-old boy with 10 sisters, as he navigates everyday life while living with such a large family. Known as the “Man with a Plan,” Lincoln enlists the help of his best friend Clyde McBride to tackle the obstacles and mayhem that they encounter during their daily adventures.

Spidey is coming to Disney+

Disney Plus animated series Spider-Man: Freshman Year will be released in 2024, Marvel revealed during its animation panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. The show follows a young Peter Parker in his earliest days as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spider-Man, and it's set before his live-action debut in Captain America: Civil War.

It'll get a second season titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year.

The show should answer some of our questions about the web slinger's early days, like the circumstances of the spider bite that gave him his powers and the existence of MCU Uncle Ben. It'll also see him encountering villains like Chameleon, Doctor Octopus, Scorpion, Rhino, Speed Demon and Tarantula. The show will also introduce the MCU versions of Norman and Harry Osborn.

Doc Ock, Norman and Scorpion are fascinating inclusions, since Spidey ran into an alternate universe's Ock and Norman in No Way Home, and Scorpion's comic book alter ego Mac Gargan showed up in Homecoming. Our hero will also team up with Daredevil, who'll be voiced by Charlie Cox, much earlier in the timeline than their civilian identities' encounter.

 

KOODOO.co.za Announced As Official Sponsor Of The ESPN Africa Boxing Series

The Walt Disney Company Africa and KOODOO.co.za today announced that they have entered into a multi-event sponsorship for the ESPN Africa Boxing series. The agreement officially kicks off with the ESPN Africa Boxing 21 event that will take place in Johannesburg on 22 September 2022.

Showcasing a diverse range of the continent’s best boxing talent and sanctioned by Boxing South Africa (BSA), ESPN Africa Boxing events take place on a monthly basis on Thursday evenings. With five main fights per event, and two undercard bouts on each bill, ESPN Africa Boxing features male and female boxing talent from across Africa. The September event is the 21st iteration of the series.

The fights are broadcast live on ESPN Africa (DStv 218, Starsat 248) catering to the immense popularity of the sport on the continent, as well as on several broadcast partners across the globe. ESPN delivers a high-quality boxing viewing experience with premium broadcast production, accompanied by all of the fanfare behind the scenes.

A division of Gamefinity, KOODOO.co.za is an e-commerce channel with the core focus of bringing the world’s leading gaming entertainment content and products to customers. The company represents brands in the gaming entertainment space such as PlayStation, Warner Bros Gaming, Bethesda, Konami, Techland, Milestone, Capcom, SEGA, andNacon.

“Exciting times for us at KOODOO.co.za partnering with The Walt Disney Company Africa and ESPN Africa Boxing Series to bring another dimension of our business to our customers.” comments Nalisha Pillay, General Manager for KOODOO.co.za

“We are delighted to welcome KOODOO.co.za as an official sponsor of the ESPN Africa Boxing series,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports Commercial and Business, The Walt Disney Company Africa. “As boxing is one of the most celebrated and followed sports, we are excited to be collaborating with this premiere technology company to further elevate our ESPN Africa Boxing series’ presence in reaching more viewers and in-person audiences across the country.

As one of the world’s leading sports broadcasters, ESPN brings an unparalleled portfolio of sporting content and documentaries to its viewers across the world. In Africa, the broadcaster extends this offering by showcasing European football and various other international franchises, such as the English Football League (EFL), Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), Dutch Eredivisie and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as various African sports tournaments such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the ESPN Africa Boxing series.

 

Comcast Wants to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Merge With NBCUniversal

In a breakdown of the financial struggles Warner Bros. Discovery is currently facing by The Hollywood Reporter, an interesting piece of information emerged: Comcast has its eye on acquiring the struggling company and merging it with NBCUniversal. While the unification of Warner Bros. with Discovery seemed to be a beneficial one for all involved, things have quickly gone south. From the cancellation of Batgirl and Scoob: Holiday Haunt to the purging of numerous films and shows on HBO Max to massive layoffs, Warner Bros. Discovery's birth was quickly met with bad press and a legion of angered creatives. The highly publicized moves by new CEO David Zaslav saw WBD's stock plummet, and that's reportedly what has so enticed Comcast.

Per THR, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is eagerly awaiting April 2024, when the legal hurdles preventing the purchase of WBD will be out of the way. Of course, the merger of two massive media companies would still face numerous antitrust concerns, but it wouldn't be impossible for the companies to join together. "Obviously, Peacock sucks," said an unnamed executive familiar with both companies about NBCUniversal's current streaming service. "There are some good synergies. I'm sure [Roberts] is licking his chops because the [WBD] stock is so low. And I think that's Zaslav's endgame. Get the place sold."

Warner Bros. Discovery Is in Financial Trouble
Zaslav has indeed proved shrewd as the head of the new company, with every indication that Batgirl was ultimately shelved as a write-off. What's more, the HBO Max purge is reportedly saving the company millions, money that's sorely needed as it faces $50 million in debt.

"People feel like it's Comcast for sure," said another source. "It's going to be so depressing to lose another major studio [after Disney bought Fox]. And Warners was the Tiffany studio."

The coalescing of Disney and Fox saw similar cancellations and concerns about creative freedom moving forward, and the merger between two more powerful film and television studios would provide creators with even fewer options. But Warner Bros. Discovery insists a sale isn't its endgame. "We are building Warner Bros. Discovery for the long term," a spokesperson said.

Either way, the next two years will present plenty of challenges for the new company and its divisive CEO as they struggle to fix a tainted reputation, win back creatives, and turn DC Films into a viable rival to Marvel Studios.