By: Thapelo Ramorobi
If you thought African animation was still finding its footing, Iyanu: The Age of Wonders is here to set the record straight — or rather, rewrite it entirely.
Fresh on Showmax, this prequel to Iyanu takes us 500 years before the story we know, right into Yorubaland’s golden age of magic and mythology. It’s a cinematic love letter to African storytelling — lush, spiritual, and unapologetically bold. When Meje, the embodiment of the seven deadly sins, rises to plunge the world into darkness, two young warriors stand between peace and chaos. It’s classic heroism with Yoruba flair, and the result is visually striking and culturally grounded.
The all-Nigerian voice cast is another win. From Shaffy Bello’s commanding presence as The One Mother to Adesua Etomi-Wellington’s elegance as Olori, every line lands with purpose. And if the first Iyanu series was a breakthrough moment, this feature film feels like the coronation. The project’s journey — from graphic novel to global hit — cements creator Roye Okupe as one of the continent’s leading creative voices in animation. The recent MIP Africa Inclusive Lens Award win only adds weight to that truth.
Meanwhile, over at Disney Channel, nostalgia is doing a little magic of its own. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place returns with grown-up Justin Russo (David Henrie), a new family dynamic, and — naturally — a sprinkle of chaos. It’s a neat trick: bringing back familiar faces while introducing new ones, like Janice LeAnn Brown’s Billie, who steps into the spotlight as the next wizard-in-training. Selena Gomez, who executive produces (and guest stars), proves that this franchise still has a bit of its old charm, now matured for both old fans and new audiences.
Then there’s the return of Phineas and Ferb and The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball — both keeping weekday afternoons on DStv’s Cartoon Network and Disney Channel bright, eccentric, and very online. They’re reminders that animated TV still knows how to be inventive without trying too hard.
And for fantasy fans craving something grander, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim rides in with epic intent — set centuries before the original trilogy, with Brian Cox lending his unmistakable voice to the legend of Helm Hammerhand. It’s cinematic scale in animated form, anchored by the fingerprints of Peter Jackson himself.
Between Iyanu’s groundbreaking Afrofuturism and Disney’s nostalgic revivals, October feels like a reminder that animation isn’t just for kids — it’s where culture, memory, and imagination meet. And for once, Africa isn’t following the trend; it’s defining it.
