Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut
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Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Netflix's first original African animated series premiered on Thursday in a debut its creator said she hoped would pave the way for more productions from the continent.

Set in a futuristic version of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, "Supa Team 4" tells the story of four teen girls who turn undercover superheroes after being recruited by a retired secret agent to save the world.

"I'm excited that the world finally gets to see the fantastic show that the incredibly talented super team, from Africa and beyond, have put together," Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema told AFP in a statement.

"We hope 'Supa Team 4'... will lead to further investment and collaboration so we can continue to grow the industry."

Mulendema created the series after pitching it at a pan-African talent search by animation studio Triggerfish, where she became one of the winners in 2015.

When the show was first announced in 2019, Mulendema said she set the story in her home country to "illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero".

"(Animation) series shaped our childhoods and to know young Zambians get to see what they've never seen on TV before is Amazing!!" Zambian singer Sampa the Great, who worked on the theme song, wrote on Instagram this month.

Netflix has bet on diversifying its production outside the United States in recent years, scoring big with series including Spanish smash "Money Heist" and South Korean dystopian drama "Squid Game".

In April, the firm said it planned to expand operations in Africa and give "more African storytellers an amplified voice on the global stage".



Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia
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Disney's 'Moana 2' Premiere Honors Hawaiian Culture

Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024.  REUTERS/Marco Garcia
Actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwyane Johnson speak during the premiere of Disney Animation's film Moana 2 in Kapolei, Hawaii, US November 21, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia

The world premiere of Disney's "Moana 2" sailed into Oahu, Hawaii on Thursday along with a celebration of Pacific Islander heritage.
In the storyline, three years have passed since Moana's adventures in the first hit film. "At first, she was wondering if she could be a wayfinder,” Auliʻi Cravalho, who voices the title character, told Reuters.
"By the time we see her again she's a ... master navigator."
The film also takes Moana on a journey into the future, so she is traveling "even further beyond," the native Hawaiian actor added.
“Moana 2,” directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, arrives in theaters on Nov. 27.
In it Moana receives a sudden call from her ancestors to travel the seas and break the god Nalo’s curse, which prevents the people of various islands from reconnecting.
She must form her own crew and reunite with her friend, the demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson.
“Maui’s journey in 'Moana 2' means to me a few things,” Johnson said.
“Number one, legacy, and number two, the character Maui was largely inspired by my grandfather who’s buried here (Hawaii), so it’s pretty meaningful to me,” he added.
The premiere opened with performances from Hawaiian dancers wearing leis and waving Hawaiian flags.
The film is highly anticipated after Disney’s other 2024 animated sequel "Inside Out 2" passed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office less than three weeks after its release - the fastest that any animated film has reached that level.
The first “Moana” topped the 2016 Thanksgiving box office rankings, earning a mighty $81.1 million over the five-day holiday period.