Johannesburg – Using Discop Africa as their launch pad, Motion Story and FCCE have announced the arrival of the world’s first mainstream African-based superhero TV series, Jongo, co-created by international best-selling novelist, Gareth Crocker (Finding Jack, Journey from Darkness, Never Let Go and King).

Set in modern-day South Africa and Zambia, Jongo tells the story of a young man, Eli King, who acquires an array of supernatural abilities after a crystal is found in a cave at the Cradle of Humankind. The mysterious stone is left to him by his father, an enslaved miner who is murdered shortly after escaping from the cave. As Eli tries to deal with the death of his father and sets out to find the men responsible, he must also grapple with the powers of the crystal and how they will indelibly alter the course of his life. What Eli doesn’t know is that the men he is hunting have crystals of their own and need Eli’s stone to fulfil an ancient and devastating prophecy which will threaten the lives of millions.

A comedy drama at heart, Jongo’s lead character – Eli King – is, in fact, one of the world’s top hip-hop dancers and Jongo represents his break-out role. His character is inspired by the values and principles of a young Nelson Mandela. Delving deeply into universal themes, the show will appeal to both young adults and families across the globe. Eli’s best friend, Kay, is a talented comedian who brings to mind both the look and feel of a young Will Smith.

“It has been a great privilege to bring Jongo to life. I feel an enormous responsibility to get the story right and to ensure that we do justice to a character that we feel has the potential to become an iconic pop culture figure in the months and years ahead. We can’t wait to have the entire first season wrapped up by the second half of 2015. We think people are going to love Jongo,” said Gareth Crocker.

Justus Verkerk, Chief Commercial Officer at FCCE, said, “With the huge success of drama series at free-to-air channels, digital channels and VOD platforms like Netflix we automatically see a growing demand for high quality drama series. In our constant search for top quality content we see more and more great storytellers and high-quality drama productions coming from new territories. Jongo is one of the best examples of that trend and we’re very confident audiences on the African continent, as well as in Europe and the US, will enjoy the mystery and charm of Jongo. It combines all the elements that the public is looking for: mystery, heart, crime, supernatural powers combined with high quality drama, thrilling Crav Magra and uplifting dance scenes. Prepare yourself for some serious binge watching!”