New month, new rich selection of streaming options for home viewers. And Showmax has scored one of November’s biggest show debuts: highly anticipated spin-off series and movie prequel Dune: Prophesy, express out of the US. But that’s not all.

As usual, below you’ll find our standouts for the month, while you can view the complete Showmax schedule here.

Series

Fans of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies, as well as anyone who adores the political intrigue of Game of Thrones, should definitely make time for Dune: Prophecy. Set in Frank Herbert’s rich sci-fi universe, and inspired by the 2012 novel Sisterhood of Dune, this prequel series jumps back 10 000 years before the rise of Paul Atreides, to look how two sisters (played by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams) would establish the mysterious and powerful Bene Gesserit sect to safeguard the future of humankind.

Watch Dune: Prophesy on Mondays from 18 November at 21:00 on Showmax (and M-Net).

Mixing horror, comedy and coming of age is eight-episode series Hysteria!, which is set during the “Satanic Panic” of the late 1980s. When a popular quarterback disappears, a struggling high school heavy metal band capitalises on the town’s sudden interest in the occult by building a reputation as Satanists. Except, it backfires horribly as deaths and reported supernatural activity leads back to them. Some familiar faces in the cast include Julie Bowen, Anna Camp and horror legend Bruce Campbell.

Binge Hysteria! from Friday, 1 November.

On the South African series front, Devil’s Peak finally comes to Showmax, after having made its debut on M-Net in October 2023. Based on the bestselling thriller by Deon Meyer, Devil’s Peak follows talented yet broken detective Benny Griessel (Hilton Pelser) facing the toughest case of his career: tracking down a vigilante killer who has brought Cape Town to a standstill, and also has the public’s sympathy. Also with Sisanda Henna and Tarryn Wyngaard.

Binge Devil’s Peak S1 in its five-episode entirety from Monday, 4 November.

Film

Arriving just in time for the December holidays is animated adventure Kung Fu Panda 4, which revives the beloved franchise after a eight year absence. When Po the Panda (voiced by Jack Black) is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find a new Dragon Warrior, but a wicked shape-shifting sorceress (Viola Davis) plans to re-summon all the villains Po has vanquished. This forces Po to team up with morally dubious thief Zhen, the corsac fox (Awkwafina).

Stream Kung Fu Panda 4 from Friday, 29 November.

One of the best action comedies of the year, if not ever, is The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Washed up stuntman Colt Seavers is called back into service when the star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) of a mega-budget studio movie goes missing. Complicating matters is that the film is being directed by Colt’s ex Jody. The Fall Guy is made by former stunt performer and coordinator David Leitch (Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw).

Stream The Fall Guy from Monday, 18 November.

Highly topical is thriller Civil War, a look at a dystopian future America from Oscar-nominated writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Men, Annihilation). The film follows a band of journalists racing across the war-torn country to reach Washington DC in time to see the fascist White House fall to rebel military forces. Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson lead the cast, while the likes of Nick Offerman and Jesse Plemons have key cameos. Here’s our review.

Watch Civil War from Monday, 25 November.

Considered to be the “movie twin” to The First Omen, releasing around the same time and featuring a similar plot, award-nominated horror film Immaculate stars Sydney Sweeney in a career defining role. Cecilia, a novice American nun, joins a remote convent in Italy, but an initial warm welcome quickly descends into a nightmare as Cecilia discovers horrifying truths about her new home, and her purpose there. Showmax is bringing the film to South Africa for the first time outside VOD.

Stream Immaculate from Thursday, 7 November.

Documentaries

Feature documentary The Station Strangler is the latest engrossing South African true crime tale from IdeaCandy, the makers of the likes of Tracking Thabo Bester and Devilsdorp. As the title suggests, the documentary will investigates the serial killer reported to have killed 21 young boys and one adult from the mid 80s to the mid-90s on the Cape Flats. With school teacher Norman Simons convicted of just one murder, and now out on parole, there are still plenty of mysteries surrounding the killings.

The Station Strangler premieres on Wednesday, 6 November.

If you love action movies and appreciate the artistry of stunt performers, you’ll definitely want to catch new documentary series Action, which follows the 87North stunt team as they put their bodies on the line to make the likes of The Fall Guy (also on Showmax this month). The series puts the spotlight on these unsung heroes, delving into why they do what they do, and features interviews with the likes of Keanu Reeves and stuntman-turned-director David Leitch.

Binge all six episodes of Action from Monday, 11 November.