Entertainment
Top Picks As Showmax Unveils December Watchlist
a slate of binge-worthy series
It’s officially Detty December and Showmax is going all out to deliver the ultimate festive watchlist.
Top picks this month include the HBO documentary Wizkid: Long Live Lagos, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning alongside other big-screen action, comedy specials and a slate of binge-worthy series guaranteed to keep you entertained.
Whether you’re looking to binge, be inspired or escape, Showmax has got you covered right through the holidays.
See the full list here
WIZKID: Long Live Lagos
Stream from Friday, 26 December
The HBO documentary follows the Grammy-winning Nigerian musician’s rise as a global icon reshaping how Africa is seen and heard around the world.
In the months leading up to his monumental performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wizkid: Long Live Lagos tells the story of one of the most commercially successful African musicians of all time and delves deep into stereotypes and misrepresentations by western media.
Directed by Karam Gill, the documentary features appearances from Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, Jada Pollock, Julie Adenuga, Seni Saraki, Sunday Are, Karen Binns, Tops, and fans who reflect on Wizkid’s influence across Africa and the diaspora.
Wizkid: Long Live Lagos premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, with Variety hailing it as “entertaining and propulsive”.
Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr2FWYlWUjQ
Download images here
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING
Stream from Wednesday, 17 December
In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, four-time Oscar nominee Tom Cruise is back as agent Ethan Hunt. This time, he’s pursuing a dangerous AI that’s infiltrated global intelligence.
The ninth biggest movie of 2025 so far, The Final Reckoning won Best Action Movie and Best Actor: Action at the 2025 Critics’ Choice Super Awards, thanks in no small part to a Guinness World Record-setting burning parachute jump sequence (performed by Cruise himself, of course) filmed in the Drakensberg.
The star-studded support cast includes Angela Bassett, Hannah Waddingham, Hayley Atwell, Nick Offerman, Pom Klementieff, Shae Whigham, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.
Watch the trailer, which has over 27 million views, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsQgc9pCyDU
P.S. You can now binge all seven previous films in the franchise on Showmax too.
THE CHAIR COMPANY S1
First on Showmax | Binge from Monday, 1 December
After an embarrassing incident at work, William Ronald Trosper finds himself investigating a far-reaching conspiracy.
Triple Emmy winner Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson) co-creates and stars as Trosper.
The HBO comedy is at #3 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the Best Shows of 2025, with a perfect 100% critics rating.
Watch the trailer, which has over 1.2 million views:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0lDMHAGDnU
NOVOCAINE
Stream from Monday, 1 December
When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nathan Caine turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.
As Nate, Jack Quaid (Hughie in The Boys) was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Super Award for Best Actor in an Action Movie. Critics’ Choice Super nominee Amber Midthunder (Prey) co-stars as his love interest.
A #1 box office hit in the US, Novocaine has an 81% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus says the film gets “an adrenaline shot from Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder’s considerable charm while finding increasingly demented ways to utilise its concept.”
Masinga – The Calling | Showmax Original
Stream from Friday, 5 December
Masinga – The Calling explores an exiled detective’s return to his homeland, where he is forced to confront the demons of his youth and the trauma of the ritual murder of his young albino brother, while rescuing an Asian girl from a similar fate.
In the title role, SAFTA winner Hakeem Kae-Kazeem (Hotel Rwanda) leads a star-studded cast that includes Shamilla Miller (Devil’s Peak) as his rookie partner, plus SAFTA winners Abdul Khoza (The Wife), Fana Mokoena (World War Z), Warren Masemola (The Republic), and Brandon Auret (Elysium), as well as Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails) and Mbuso Khoza, who took home Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards.
TIFFANY HADDISH GOES OFF
First on Showmax | Thursdays from 4 December
Tiffany Haddish Goes Off is a six-part docuseries following superstar Tiffany Haddish and her three closest childhood girlfriends as they travel together on a four-week-long adventure exploring Africa and their connection to the continent.
“Tiffany Haddish Goes Off works not only because it allows Haddish to show up in her full humanity, but also, despite some squabbles and disagreements among the friends, because audiences can feel the love in the group,” says Variety. “The series is what The Real Housewives might be if the cast were actually friends.”
Travel highlights include Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Zanzibar.
Watch the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q_nUwZEhjc
HOW TO MANIFEST A MAN S2
Binge from Monday, 8 December
After a public humiliation, Dudu is on a mission to reclaim her once-perfect life. She pretends to have moved on while secretly using dark manifestation to manipulate everyone around her.
Two-time African Movie Academy Award nominee Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa stars as Dudu, opposite former Men’s Health cover star Mnqobi Kunene (Geja in Uzalo) as Simz.
Watch the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4O_B5g9ipM
WATSON S1
Binge from Wednesday, 10 December
Watson brings one of history’s greatest detectives into the modern day to turn his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries.
Morris Chestnut (Lance in The Best Man franchise) stars as Dr John Watson, who returns to work as the head of a clinic treating rare disorders following the death of his friend Sherlock Holmes. But Watson’s old life isn’t done with him yet: Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.
Created by showrunner Craig Sweeny (Elementary), the medical drama’s already been renewed for a second season.
Watch the trailer, which has over eight million views:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrceOmrgpG0
LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Binge from Thursday, 11 December
Based on real events, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth stars Oscar winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Love Actually) as a grieving father seeking justice in the aftermath of one of the worst airline disasters in history.
In the wake of a terror attack that killed 259 passengers and crew, Dr Jim Swire (Firth) is nominated spokesperson for the UK victims’ families. His quest for answers will jeopardise his stability, his family and his life – and completely overturn his trust in the justice system.
Named Best Scripted Television at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in Scotland, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth was hailed as “meticulously researched and sensitively told… superb” by Daily Mail in their five-star review.
Watch the trailer, which has over one million views:
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND
Stream from Sunday, 14 December on Showmax
The Queen of Hearts has outlawed Christmas because she didn’t receive the gift she asked for. Years later, Father Christmas finally unearths her lost letter and travels to the whimsical world of Wonderland. With the help of curious young Alice, can Christmas be saved?
Gerard Butler (300) voices St Nick, with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) as the Queen of Hearts.
In their five-star review, Common Sense Media recommends the animated movie for ages 5+. As they say, “Delightful and inventive, this Christmas animation is an enchanting throwback in both style and story… Full of heart and plenty of ho-ho-ho moments.. this is a don’t-miss holiday event.”
Watch the trailer:
https://youtu.be/aYbjBEsi69o
THE KING OF KINGS
Stream from Sunday, 21 December
A father tells his son the greatest story ever told. What begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice. The King of Kings invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love, and redemption through the eyes of a child.
Emmy nominee Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron in Star Wars) voices Jesus. Also listen out for Oscar winners Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, and Kenneth Branagh, not to mention Mark Hamill (aka Luke Skywalker in Star Wars), Pierce Brosnan (aka James Bond), and Uma Thurman (The Bride in Kill Bill).
Among other accolades, The King of Kings was named Feature Film of the Year at the 2025 Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards as well as the 2025 Korea Animation Awards. It opened at #2 at the US box office, with the best opening weekend of all time for a biblical animation.
Watch the trailer, which has over seven million views:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDhet3EVRac
DEAR SANTA
Stream from Monday, 22 December
When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.
From the Farrelly brothers, the Oscar-winning minds behind Dumb & Dumber, Dear Santa also features Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Brianne Howey (Georgia in Ginnie & Georgia) and 18-time Grammy nominee Post Malone.
Watch the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr7z5Q7oJc0
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS S3
First on Showmax | Binge from Wednesday, 31 December
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the USS Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.
Anson Mount and Celia Rose Gooding were nominated for Best Actor and Actress at last year’s Critics’ Choice Super Awards, while previous seasons have been up for both Best Drama Series at the Critics’ Choice Awards and Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Series at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards.
Paramount+ has already renewed the hit series for a fourth season.
Watch the trailer, which has over 4m views:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqPH7UhKYI
SPORT OF THE MONTH
Carling Cup Final – Showmax PL mobile only
6 December
ALSO ON SHOWMAX
Monday, 1 December
Batman, Batman & Robin, Batman Forever, Batman Returns, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Adventures of Puss in Boots S3, The Huntsman: Winter’s War
Thursday, 4 December
Ant Bully, Charles Stuart Murder S1, Megamind, Monsters vs Aliens, On Brand With Jimmy Fallon, Sing, South To Black Power, Spirit Untamed, The Bad Guys, The Boss Baby: Family Business, The Lego Batman Movie
Friday, 5 December
Brenda Fassie: Not Bad For A Girl, Season’s Feeling, Twisted Christmas
Monday, 8 December
Bad Tidings, Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Jurassic Park III, Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World: Dominion, Mamazala S22
Thursday, 11 December
Afropop Nation S1-2, Home, Hop, I Am Ali, I’m With Your Ex S3, Jonah: A Veggietales Movie, , Mr. Peabody & Sherman, The Prince of Egypt, Turbo
Sunday, 14 December
Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie
Monday, 15 December
Friday, Horrible Bosses 1-2, Ride Along 1-2, Sugar Mommas S2, The High Note
Thursday, 18 December
Central Intelligence, Skyscraper, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy
Saturday, 20 December
Christmas Carole
Monday, 22 December
Baby Mama, Heavy Weight, Identity Thief, Major Payne, The Change-Up, The Wedding Crashers, Wanderlust
Thursday, 25 December
Dolittle, Get On Up, Nanny McPhee, Nanny McPhee Returns, Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2, Pitch Perfect 3, The Housewives of the North Pole
Monday, 29 December
Final Destination 1-5, Freaky, Songs & Stories With Kelly Clarkson
HIGH-RES PICS
• Dear Santa
•Dìdi
• Lockerbie: A Search for Truth
• Married To Medicine: Atlanta
• Masinga – The Calling
• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
• Novocaine
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• The Chair Company
• The King of Kings
• The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland
• Tiffany Haddish Goes Off
• Watson
• Wizkid: Long Live Lagos
