Showmax to Adapt NBCUniversal’s Hit US Comedy Format, Superstore, for South Africa
Today Marks 10th Anniversary of Debut of Justin Spitzer’s Original Series
14 January 2025: NBCUniversal Formats and African streamer Showmax have announced a new format agreement today, which will bring a South African Zulu-language adaptation of NBCUniversal’s hit US comedy Superstore.
Superstore marks the second comedy format adaptation from Showmax, who have also licensed The Office from the BBC.
Superstore is licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal International Studios, which is part of Universal Studio Group. This will be the second non-English version of Superstore, following Supertitlán, the Latin adaptation of the format in Mexico.
The Showmax Original will be produced locally by Barkers Media (Killer Front Page, reality shows Shebeen Queens and The Bala Family, and the South African Film and Television Awards-nominated How to Manifest a Man) in association with Universal International Studios. Production is expected to start this year.
“We’re on Cloud 9,” says Nicola van Niekerk, executive head of programming at MultiChoice. “I laughed my way through every episode of Superstore and can’t wait to see how the funny and loveable characters are reimagined in our complex country.”
“We are proud to be producing the first African version of Superstore for Showmax,” says executive producer Reneilwe Sema from Barkers Media.
“The format is globally recognised and adored by audiences all over the world, so we’re looking forward to adding that distinctive South African flavour to it,” adds executive producer Mpho Lengane from Barkers Media.
“I cannot wait to see Superstore take on a whole new life in South Africa!” says Hannah Mabruk, VP, Format Sales for NBCUniversal Formats. “It’s a format that resonates with audiences around the world because of its undeniable humour, heart, and universal themes of community and friendship flourishing in the workplace. Together with our longtime partners at Showmax and the team at Barkers Media, we look forward to bringing a uniquely South African spin to these lovable characters in a fresh and exciting new way.”
Exactly 10 years ago, on 14 January 2015, NBC picked up the pilot for Superstore, which would go on to attract more than six million viewers an episode, run for six seasons and be hailed by Rotten Tomatoes as “one of TV’s greatest workplace comedies.”
Originally created and showrun by Justin Spitzer (The Office) and produced by Universal Television, in association with Spitzer Holding Company, Miller Green Broadcasting and The District for NBC, Superstore follows a unique family of employees at Cloud 9, a super-sized mega store. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales, and nap-worthy training sessions.
As floor manager Amy, America Ferrera won a Gracie Allen Award and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award, among other accolades. Lauren Ash was up for a Hollywood Critics Association Television Award as assistant manager Dina and Nico Santos was nominated for two Critics Choice Awards as new employee Mateo. The ensemble cast also included Emmy® nominees Ben Feldman, Colton Dunn, and Mark McKinney, with cameos from the likes of Dean Norris, Fred Armisen, and Jason Ritter.
Also nominated for Casting Society of America, GLAAD, Imagen, Monte-Carlo, Television Critics Association, and Writers Guild of America awards, Superstore has lived on even after its finale in 2021, with Cloud 9 stores appearing in other NBCUniversal series, from The Mindy Project to Good Girls to Kenan.
While you wait for the South African version, re-watch Superstore 1-6 on Showmax https://www.showmax.com/watch/asset/series/superstore/ef866d89-1633-37cc-9375-571e4336a942
About Showmax
Showmax relaunched in February 2024 in partnership with Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky, and is now powered by the Peacock platform.
Named Entertainment App of the Year at the Stuff App Awards and Best Television/Streaming Network at The National Film and TV Awards South Africa in 2024, Showmax is widely recognised as the best place to stream South African content, with the most winners to stream everywhere from the SAFTAs to the National Film and TV Awards South Africa. Recent recognition for local content on Showmax include Die Brug earning MultiChoice their third International Emmy nomination in three years; Spinners beating the Emmy-winning final season of Succession to be named Best Foreign Series at the Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards; Catch Me A Killer becoming the first South African series at Series Mania and winning Best Production Design at the British Film Designers Guild Awards; Wyfie being nominated at the Rose d’Or and Seoul International Drama Awards; and Shaka iLembe becoming the most awarded drama series in the history of the SAFTAs.
About NBCUniversal Formats
NBCUniversal Formats, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the international sales division for all formats created within the production, broadcast and streaming divisions of NBCUniversal and Sky Studios, as well as select third parties. The division fosters an array of strategic alliances, co-production and co-development partnerships to bring a vast and diverse slate of non-scripted and scripted formats to the global market. Leading brands include The Real Housewives, hit game show Hollywood Game Night, Emmy® Award-winning comedy showcase Saturday Night Live, global franchise Top Chef, entertainment formats That’s My Jam and The Big Show, in addition to scripted formats Suits, House and Superstore, among others.