Showtime cancels highly anticipated new series just before filming wraps after restructuring with Paramount+
Showtime has canceled a highly anticipated new series just 12 days before filming was due to end following streamer restructuring with Paramount+.
The network has opted to no longer air the upcoming drama King Shaka, which chronicles the rise of Zulu chief Shaka, the channel said. deadline.
Actor Charles Babalola, 32, was set to play the titular character, but filming in South Africa’s historic province of KwaZulu-Natal has been halted.
It comes after the consolidation that the service will be rebranded as Paramount+ with Showtime for both the television channel and the streaming service.
The restructuring with Paramount+ has also resulted in the cancellation of three other Showtime series, Three Women, the vampire drama Let The Right One In, and the American Gigolo reboot starring Jon Bernthal.
Bad news: Showtime has opted to no longer air the upcoming series King Shaka, which chronicles the rise of Zulu chief Shaka (protagonist Charles Babalola, pictured).
Production for the series started in September and Charles was cast as the titular character the previous month.
It was set to tell the real life story of Shaka, the founder of the Zulu Empire, and rise to power in the early 19th century.
Writer Olu Odebunmi told deadline: ‘The powerful story of King Shaka and the Zulu nation speaks to the core of everything we identify with as Africans.
“It is a blessing and an honor to share the grandeur of the history of the Zulu people with a complete and nuanced approach that serves as a microcosm of African history across the continent.
“We couldn’t be more excited to reintroduce this story from the perspective of its own people and share it with the world.”
The publication also reported that more than 300 locals had been hired for the production, which was set to air on Showtime later this year.
It comes after Shailene Woodley and Betty Gilpin’s Showtime series Three Women was also canceled.
Despite releasing a teaser trailer for the series, Showtime opted to drop it, giving another entity a chance to pick it up.
Dropped: Actor Charles Babalola, 32, was set to take on the role of the titular character, but filming in South Africa’s historic province of KwaZulu-Natal has been halted
Canceled beforehand: It comes after Shailene Woodley and Betty Gilpin’s Showtime series Three Women was also canceled; Seeing Woodley in April 2022
It is also reportedly shopping around Let The Right One In and American Gigolo in hopes that another network would buy the properties.
Three Women is executive produced by author Taddeo, along with showrunner Laura Eason, Kathy Ciric, and non-cast actress Emmy Rossum.
The first two episodes were directed by Louise Friedberg, who also serves as an executive producer.
Showtime appears to be following in the footsteps of Warner Bros. Discovery, which canceled a host of new shows to cut costs for its streaming service HBO Max, along with removing several pre-existing shows and movies from the streamer for tax write-offs.