Video on-demand service Showmax launched in South Africa back in 2015, and even though its catalogue has grown ten times over, Showmax has managed to retain its low cost of just R99 per month. With over 25 000 local and international movies and series episodes, it proves to be one of the best and most affordable sources of entertainment available in the country. For those who are unaware of what the internet TV provider offers, we’ve put together a list of seven superhero movies and TV shows available on Showmax.
1. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Despite all the recent excitement regarding Hellboy, unfortunately, director Guillermo Del Toro and Ron Perlman have both confirmed that there won’t be a sequel to Hellboy 2 and the franchise is being rebooted instead. While Ron Perlman is being replaced by David Harbour as the titular character, there are many fans who still swear that Perlman is the only choice to play Brother Red. If you missed all the magic or want to see it all again, you’ll be able to catch it on Showmax. It holds an 85% Rotten Tomatoes rating and is considered a cult classic superhero movie. WATCH NOW
2. Planet Hulk
If you’re a Marvel fan, you will know that the new Thor: Ragnarok is loosely based on a classic comic called Planet Hulk, written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti. Helmed by popular comic book animation director Sam Liu, the PG-13 animated Planet Hulk movie follows the same storyline which sees the Incredible Hulk betrayed by the Avengers and ejected from Earth in a spaceship. He crash-lands on a planet ruled by a tyrant, who forces him to fight in a coliseum against other powerful creatures. Critics have argued that Planet Hulk is one of the best animated features from Marvel. WATCH NOW
3. Watchmen
Long before Zack Snyder had his hand in the DCEU, he directed another popular dark and gritty DC property, 2009’s R-rated Watchmen. Based on a story and characters by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore, Watchmen is an adaptation of the highly-acclaimed 1986 book series of the same name, which went on to be taught in universities and is the only comic book to make it onto Time’s 100 Best Novels list. Watchmen is the comic book that proved comic books weren’t just for kids. And the movie isn’t either. It’s a comic book film made for purist comic book fans. If you love the world of Batman v Superman, you’ll feel right at home here. WATCH NOW
4. The Flash
If dark and gritty comic book adaptations are not your cup of tea, then CW’s The Flash TV series starring Grant Gustin might just be. Based on DC’s Scarlett Speedster, The Flash is a light-hearted superhero fiction TV series much like Smallville. It’s currently in its third season and holds a 94% Rotten Tomatoes fresh rating. If you’ve seen all the “timeline” memes and didn’t quite understand, this is the perfect way to play catch up. WATCH NOW
5. Arrow
If The Flash doesn’t grab your interest, perhaps CW’s other popular superhero TV series will. The slightly darker Arrow is a Batman-like show that follows the adventures of DC’s Green Arrow. With over three million viewers tuning in weekly to watch, it remains one of the most popular comic book based TV shows available. After five seasons, the show continues to introduce familiar new DC characters, including Deathstroke, Atom, Hawkgirl, Bronze Tiger, and Black Canary. WATCH NOW
6. Die Swart Kat
In the 80s and 90s, there was one local superhero that kept teens glued to their TV screens. Die Swart Kat returns exclusively to Showmax, which offers the three original seasons which started back in 1986. Millions of South Africans have fond memories of the Afrikaans kid who dressed up as a cat and took on criminals in his neighbourhood. 2017 seems like the perfect time for his return to the small screen. WATCH NOW
7. Wolverine and the X-Men
Although Wolvie might have made his exit on the big screen recently in Logan, his adventures continue in the comics and animated features. Based on the superheroes created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, Wolverine and the X-Men is the fourth animated adaptation of the X-Men characters. After an explosion at the school, the X-Men go their separate ways. But they must unite once again under the leadership of Wolverine to prevent an inevitable war while also dealing with present problems. If you loved the original X-Men animated series, you’ll love this series. WATCH NOW
Of course, this isn’t all that the superhero shows and movies that Showmax has to offer. There is also Sin City, Kick-Ass, Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man Web Warriors, Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Super Hero Squad, Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes, Heroes, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Astro Boy, Aeon Flux, Riddick and many others. Sign up for a 14-day free trial to watch these awesome shows and more.