For whatever reason, it’s predominantly been about TV news this past week on the pop culture front. And you can probably expect more in the coming days as it’s the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony next Monday, 14 September.

But without much further ado, let’s jump into everything you need to know when it comes to series, movies, gaming and Comic Con Africa 2026.

Series

Speaking of the 78th Emmy Awards, it’s a little confusing, but the accolades are dished out across three ceremonies on three nights in Los Angeles: 5, 6 and 14 September. The first two events are to honour outstanding artistic and technical achievement in the field, and there a South African has shined. 3D artist and animator Rick Treweek, who resides in Cape Town, but originally comes from Kokstad, won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Emerging Media Program for co-creating Uncanny Alley: A New Day, a marriage of live theatre and virtual reality. Uncanny Alley’s cyberpunk setting was devised by Treweek during Lockdown, spawning potential for a whole franchise.

Still talking Emmy winners, Spider Noir, the live-action Spider-Verse spin-off starring Nicolas Cage, won in five out of the 11 Creative Arts Emmy Award categories it was nominated in. This comes mere days after Prime Video cancelled the acclaimed series after one season. For the record, Spider-Noir was the most nominated series from the Prime Video stable this year.

A few more TV news tidbits:

  • DSTV, under new owners Canal+, has completely rebundled its satellite and streaming packages, with the new offers kicking off from 17 September. No price changes though. For the record, MNET and KykNET are now freed from the highest tier (titled Premium) and can be accessed with a cheaper Movie & Series bouquet (R500 pm). Formula 1 and international rugby remains locked behind the Premium paywall (R799), but the likes of local rugby, cricket, UK’s Premier League and UEFA are available with a R300 Sports bundle.
  • There’s a new trailer for HBO’s Harry Potter series, which kicks off on Christmas Day. Reminder there is no way to watch the show legally in SA.
  • Netflix is developing another live-action Dungeons & Dragons series, based on the gothic-horror setting Ravenloft. This as the streamer scrapped its earlier plans for a D&D series with the Forgotten Realms backdrop.
  • Finally, Season 3 of Apple TV’s Silo, starring Rebecca Ferguson, has just wrapped, and immediately the streamer revealed the trailer for the fourth and final season of the dystopian mystery thriller – which was shot back-to-back with S3. To avoid spoilers it’s advisable to only watch the below if you’re up to date with the show. Included with the S4 trailer drop was the release date reveal: 9 July 2027.

Film

While all the movie talk at this instant is about the unsettling trailer for upcoming Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything, we’re excited for a Braveheart-esque historical epic right around the corner.

Releasing on 18 September is The Uprising, based on the true story of a medieval peasant revolt that was to inspire generations to come. Leading the cast is Andrew Garfield, and he has a special greeting for South African audiences in the lead-up to the film’s release. Howzit!

Lifestyle

At this point, the Comic Con Africa 2026 announcements are coming so fast that it’s hard to keep up. To stay on top of event news as 24 September approaches, you’re best off following CCA on Facebook or Instagram.

As for that news? We’re talking animation premieres, a pop-up cinema thanks to CineCentre, J-Pop star Marina Kojima (the voice and face behind MIRAISKIRT⁺), CTIAF animation workshops for teens, and two brand-driven cosplay competitions with big prize pools – courtesy of Telkom and Toyota.

P.S. If you look closely at the Otaku Stage programme, you’ll work out exactly what Burger King is revealing on 14 September.

Gaming

This past week Xbox announced monthly time limits on its Cloud Gaming offering, enraging gamers. However, as Cloud Gaming isn’t available in the Developing World market of South Africa, it’s not really a concern here.

What has more relevance locally is PlayStation’s State of Play presentation, which took place this past Thursday. You can find all the show’s announcements here. And apart for the LEGO PS1 replica coming out on 1 October, and the return of shark-themed guilty pleasure Maneater in 2027, State of Play put the following title, a PS exclusive, on our radar for the first time:

Releasing on 26 October is first-person folk horror game Hunter’s Moon, inspired by the witch hunts of 17th Century England. Over the course of one night, you play as a young woman on the run for her life after being accused of witchcraft. As you flee, you must avoid being seen, but you can eavesdrop on your dysfunctional village neighbours and interact with mummers dressed in folk costumes. The game is made by indie developer Twin Swans.