“Spinners,” the South African extreme sports drama, is set to return for its second season, bringing back the talented team behind the hit series based in Cape Town.
This season of “Spinners” is co-produced by the African streaming platform Showmax and Canal+. Filming took place on location in South Africa, under the guidance of showrunner and co-creator Benjamin Hoffman. Jaco Bouwer, known for his award-winning eco-horror film “Gaia,” will also return as director. The writing team, including Matthew Jankes and Sean Steinberg, is back to pen the new episodes.
Joachim Landau continues as producer for Federation Middle East Africa & Caribbean, working alongside Ramadan Suleman, who co-produces through his full-service South African company, Natives at Large.
Ahead of Mipcom, Studiocanal—whose affiliate Canal+ commissioned the series—has unveiled a first look at season 2. This show embodies the creative collaboration between the French media group and Showmax, the streaming service of MultiChoice, a pan-African pay-TV operator now entirely owned by Canal+ and serving 50 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The new season will be available on both Canal+ and MultiChoice platforms, including Showmax and DStv.
The inaugural season of “Spinners” made history as the first African series to compete in Canneseries’ main competition in 2023. It earned accolades at the Dakar Series and the Shanghai TV Festival and received three nominations at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA).
The storyline of season 1 follows 17-year-old Ethan (played by Cantona James) as he seeks an escape from the Southside’s cycle of gang violence through the extreme motorsport of spinning, which showcases daredevil driving stunts. In season 2, the narrative picks up two years later as Ethan and his friends have transitioned from a life of violence to becoming spinning stars in the bustling city. However, their newfound fame is threatened when a violent ambush orchestrated by Ethan’s former gang disrupts their peace. In a desperate bid for safety, Ethan turns to the Maseko clan for assistance, but their protection comes at a significant cost.
Returning cast members include Cantona James and Chelsea Thomas, who are in leading roles, alongside Brendon Daniels, who appeared in “White Lies,” and popular local actor Dillon Windvogel, known for “Blood & Water.” The season will also feature cameos from Kayla Olifant, a prominent female spinner highlighted in the National Geographic series “David Blaine: Do Not Attempt.”
New cast additions for season 2 include Clementine Mosimane (“How to Ruin Christmas”), Mondli Makhoba (“Shaka iLembe”), rising talent Luyanda Zwane (“Sibongile and the Dlaminis”), and Aphiwe Mkefe (“Nkuleko”).
The development of “Spinners” season 2 underscores Canal+’s ambition to enhance its portfolio of original series in Africa. The company targets the production of eight shows annually from various African nations.
Since 2018, Canal+ has successfully produced 35 series featuring African talent across 11 different African countries, which include titles like “Invisibles,” “Agent,” “Cacao,” “Mami Wata,” “Eki,” “Or Blanc,” “Niabla,” “Ewusu,” and “Lakantane.”
