Revealing a first look at Shaka iLembe Season 3

Fans of Shaka iLembe: Zulu King can look forward to an even bigger chapter when Season 3 premieres. Ahead of MIPCOM 2026, STUDIOCANAL has unveiled a first look at the new season while launching international sales of the acclaimed drama, introducing the hit series to buyers outside Africa for the first time.

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Produced by Bomb Productions for MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, the isiZulu-language epic has become South Africa's most watched and most awarded drama series. Chronicling the rise of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, the series has grown into a television phenomenon, earning record-breaking viewership, becoming South Africa's most searched TV series in 2023 and setting a SAFTA record with 12 wins in a single year, including Best Drama Series.

Season 3 jumps four years ahead, with Shaka's kingdom at the height of its power while facing growing pressure from British expansion, European influence and emerging regional kingdoms. The new season also deepens the stories of Queen Nandi and Mkabayi while introducing several major new characters.

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Season 3 at a glance

Category	Details
Series	Shaka iLembe: Zulu King
Genre	Historical Drama
Language	isiZulu
Producer	Bomb Productions
International Distributor	STUDIOCANAL
Timeline	Four years after Season 2
New Themes	British expansion, emerging kingdoms, political power struggles

New cast members

Actor	Character
Lerato Mvelase	Queen Mpikase
Aiden Scott	Henry Francis Fynn
Conrad Kemp	Lt. Francis Farewell
Wonder Ndlovu	Prince Mpande

"Shaka ILembe: Zulu King is proof of what African storytelling can achieve when it's given the room to be ambitious, told at scale, and shared from the inside out. As an Executive Producer, I'm most proud of the series' success at home and abroad, and of its real contribution to our creative economy.
Portraying Queen Nandi, a woman whose courage helped build a kingdom and whose values still shape our understanding of the modern Zulu woman, has been an honour and a career highlight. None would be possible without the talent pool of gifted actors and directors I was fortunate enough to mold the character with," says Nomzamo Mbatha, Executive Producer and star.

"The international launch of Shaka iLembe: Zulu King marks an important moment not only for this extraordinary franchise, but for African storytelling as a whole. MultiChoice has spent decades investing in local stories because we believe cultural authenticity and global appeal are not opposing ideas; they are mutually reinforcing. Shaka iLembe demonstrates that the most powerful stories are often the most specific, and we are delighted to see this proudly African production find new audiences around the world," Nomsa Philiso, Vice President, Content, CANAL+ Africa.

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