The Box: Apple TV Unveils Trailer For New K Drama 'Pachinko'; Disney+ Launching In Over 40 Countries By Winter 2022; Netflix Halts All Production In Russia
Connie Ferguson and Rapulana Seiphemo - DSTV/Ferguson Films
Africa: Sensational tv drama The Queen, has been canceled after its seven-year stretch on air. The exciting series followed the drug-dealing empire of the Khoza Family led by its matriarch, Harriet Khoza (Connie Ferguson). This pivotal breaking point comes from the show's struggle to retain its stars. Earlier this year, actor Vuyo Ngcukana was fired from the series after breaching his contract and actress Brenda Ngxoli quit after disputes over her salary lacked fruition.
Ghana will be receiving its first-ever Showmax series titled Eno. The series revolves around a mother hoping to marry off her three daughters to rich suitors. The project is being curated by Shirly Frimpong-Manso and Ken Attoh. They are the team behind the popular Ghana series Dede.
Disney+ will be launching in over 40 countries by winter 2022. This will include notable territories such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. These countries and many more will be able to few iconic franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar by Christmas 2022.
Jason Monteiro - HBO Max Southeast Asia
Asia: Apple TV has unveiled the trailer for its new K Drama, Pachinko. Pachinko is a generational story diving into a family’s journey of survival during Japan’s occupation of Korea. The showrunner Soo Hugh serves as writer and previously worked on Apple TV’s See. It is based on the bestselling novel written by Korean American author Min Jin Lee and will premiere on March 25th.
HBO Max has appointed Jason Monteiro as the new general manager in its Southeast Asia branch. Monteiro is fresh from his position at Shahid, a highly regarded Arabic streaming platform. His largest responsibility will be the oversight of HBO Max’s launch in the region as it transitions away from its older form, HBO Go.
MTVLA
Latin America: Hit MTVLA series Resistiré, has announced its second season. The Chilean series places contestants in extreme survival conditions with 500,000 dollars. They must survive over the course of months using the money to buy resources. Whatever money they have remaining will be theirs to keep. The notorious reality tv show will premiere its new episodes on March 21st.
Europe: On March 6th, actor, singer, and broadcaster Pasha Lee was killed by shelling strikes after joining the Ukrainian armed forces. He was most recently starred in the 2021 series Provincial and was one of the hosts for the Ukrainian entertainment channel Dom TV. He notably dubbed key roles in The Lion King and The Hobbit. The actor was 33 years old.
WarnerMedia has signed a multi-year deal with German-Turkish director Fatih Akin. The deal includes future German and Turkish language TV series and films that will appear on HBO Max as well as in theaters. Fatih Akin is an award-winning director behind films like the golden globe winning In The Fade, Head-On, and The Golden Glove. This is one of many talented hires Warner Bros aims to make as they lay the foundation for the launch of HBO Max in major European countries like Germany, the U.K., France, and many others.
