King Shaka is not coming to Showtime after all. The cable channel cancelled the new series as it was nearing the end of production. Those behind the series plan to shop it to other outlets.
Starring Charmaine Bingwa, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Aïssa Maïga, Thando Dlomo, Tony Kgoroge, Sindi Dlatu, and Bahle Hadebe, King Shaka, formerly known as Shaka: King of the Zulu Nation, revolves around “the Zulu Empire founder Shaka (Babalola) and his unlikely rise to power, uniting multiple tribes across vast stretches of southern Africa in the early 19th century to transform his power into legend, on par with history’s most seminal figures.”
Deadline revealed the following about the cancellation of the series by Showtime:
Deadline understands that King Shaka, which is being headlined by Charles Babalola, was permanently shut down over the weekend as it was wrapping production in the historic KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Africa province, the birthplace of King Shaka. We hear most of the filming, including the final episode, had been completed, with 12 days of shooting left. Producer CBS Studios is exploring other options for the series, which will be able to assemble a full season out of the footage. Showtime is assisting the studio in their efforts to find a new home for the series.
This is the latest series to be cancelled as Showtime overhauls its programming strategy. The L Word: Generation Q, Let the Right One In, and American Gigolo have all been cancelled in 2023. It was announced that the cable channel will be merged with Paramount+ and will focus on expanding existing properties, like Billions and Dexter, as well as other projects. Three Women had been cancelled after filming wrapped, but it was later picked up by Starz.
What do you think? Were you planning to check out King Shaka on Showtime? Will you check it out if it lands on another outlet?