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Exclusive: HBO is in development on the comedy series Flat Tyres from Fifth Season and co-creators Thabo Rametsi and Robbie Leacock.

The series follows a hapless gang of four deluded friends as they endlessly try – and fail – to become criminal kingpins of Cape Town’s most vibrant township.

Executive producers are Nicholas Hatton and Jason Woliner for Swindle Pictures as well as Matt Sadeghian and Geordan Somerville for Brillstein.

Rametsi is a multi-award-winning South African actor, writer, director, and producer who has starred in critically and commercially successful African films including the independent feature Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu as well as Amandla and Silverton Siege for Netflix. He is known for his roles in U.S. projects including The Gamechangers starring Daniel Radcliffe, Homeland with Rupert Friend, and The Giver directed by Phillip Noyce.

Rametsi is also the co-creator of the upcoming graphic novel series Imbokodo published by...

Exclusive: Showmax content chief Yolisa Phahle has revealed how co-producing with international partners has helped the South Africa-based streamer compete with fierce SVoD competition, as a first trailer for its epic fantasy drama Blood Psalms is today unveiled. You can watch it here below.

Blood Psalms, from creators Layla Swart and Jahmil X.T. Qubeka from Yellowbone Entertainment, is a big budget co-production with France’s Canal+ — the latest in several collaborations between the companies — and is billed as Showmax’s “biggest and most ambitious series, completely unlike any other African series you’ve ever seen” by Nomsa Philiso, Executive Head of Programming at the streamer’s parent MultiChoice. The fantasy drama, shot entirely in African languages, has touches of Game of Thrones, set 11,000 years ago in ancient Africa in a world of warring factions and magic.

The synopsis reads: “In Ancient Africa, one thousand days after the fall of Atlantis,...

Cliches and contrivances relegate a key incident in South African history to routine Tinseltown-style fodder

Some silly cliches and tiresomely obvious liberal-balance contrivances have been pumped into this action-thriller for Netflix from South African director Mandla Dube, which is inspired by one of the most sensational events in anti-apartheid history: the Silverton siege in 1980. Three armed activists of the Anc’s uMkhonto we Sizwe (“spear of the nation”) wing – Humphrey Makhubo, Fanie Mafoko, and Wilfred Madela – occupied a bank in Silverton, Pretoria, after the chaotic abandonment of another operation to sabotage an oil plant, taking 25 people hostage and demanded the release of Nelson Mandela. Meanwhile armed officers grimly surrounded the building.

The movie version turns these three men into two men and a woman, with different fictional names: Calvin (Thabo Rametsi), Aldo (Stefan Erasmus) and Terra (Noxolo Dlamini). In accordance with time-honoured Hollywood practice, the film invents a “good” white...

"There's only one of two ways you're leaving - prison or death." Netflix has revealed the official trailer for South Africa thriller titled Silverton Siege, the latest film by cinematographer / filmmaker Mandlakayise Walter Dube. The film is based on a true story of a real life incident that sparked the global 'Free Mandela' movement. Silverton Siege is an action thriller inspired by true life events that took place in South Africa in 1980. A trio of freedom fighters end up heading into a collision course with the state after a failed sabotage mission, which turns into a bank hostage stand off. The film stars Thabo Rametsi as Calvin Khumalo, with Arnold Vosloo, Noxolo Dlamini, Stefan Erasmus, Michelle Mosalakae, Elani Dekker, Shane Wellington, and Tumisho Masha. There have been a number of strong films coming out of South Africa recently, and this looks like it digs into an important moment in the country's apartheid history.

Netflix will release its latest project from Africa, the action thriller Silverton Siege, to coincide with South Africa’s Freedom Day on April 27.

The previously unannounced feature is from South African filmmaker Mandla Dube (Tsotsi). Set in 1980, it is inspired by the real-life incident that sparked the global “Free Mandela” movement.

Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini and Stefan Erasmus star as the titular Silverton Siege trio – three young freedom fighters with nothing left to lose. Following a high-speed car chase with the police after a thwarted sabotage mission, the trio end up seeking refuge in a South African bank in Silverton, Pretoria. Taking the bank and its customers hostage, they demand the release of Nelson Mandela in exchange for release of the prisoners.

Pambili Media is the production company, with executive producers Walter Ayres and Mandla Dube.

Mandla Dube said, “Silverton Siege is my strongest work thus far, the hope is...

“Silverton Siege,” an action thriller inspired by the real life incident that sparked the global Free Mandela movement, is being added to Netflix.

The film is directed by noted South African filmmaker Mandla Dube (“Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu”) and stars Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini and Stefan Erasmus.

Set in 1980, Rametsi, Dlamini and Erasmus portray the Silverton Siege trio – three young freedom fighters with nothing left to lose. Following a high speed car chase with the police after a thwarted sabotage mission, the trio end up seeking refuge in a South African bank in Silverton, Pretoria. Taking the bank and its customers hostage and demanding the release of Nelson Mandela in exchange for release of the prisoners, the stakes and tensions run high.

Dube said: “’Silverton Siege’ is my strongest work thus far, the hope is that filmmakers from Africa are given more opportunities at decolonizing the narrative of who we are.