Viewers are in for a treat as local A-list actors come together for “Red Ink”.
The spine-chilling 8-part thriller releases on Showmax in February. It stars Bonko Khoza and Nqobile Nunu Khumalo in lead roles with Bongile Mantsai, Lorcia Cooper, Yonda Thomas, Jo-Anne Reyneke, Kwenzo Ngcobo, Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku and Abdul Khoza making up the rest of the cast.
The much-anticipated series, which is based on Angela Makholwa-Moabelo's best-selling debut novel of the same name, tells the story of a journalist turned publicist, Lucy Khambule, who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer to tell his story.
The two-minute trailer begins with a scene of a human skull believed to be the victim of a brutal killing in June 2010. Cooper relays the story of the murder case.
It then shifts to a wealthy and loving family, with Khumalo embracing her son, Khaya, before getting a spine-chilling call from a serial-killer dubbed “The Butcher”, who asks to meet her.
She later finds out that he wants her to write a book about him.
Things quickly take a turn for the worse as snippets cut to scenes of sex, murder, blood, gore and a masked man abducting her.
Watch trailer.
Makholwa-Moabelo, who is also an executive producer and co-writer on the show, said: “The fear from an author normally stems from having to let go of something that you have birthed and nurtured.
“Any book is a labour of love for a writer, so handing it over to somebody else to translate into a different medium will always be nerve-racking.
“But I’m excited, there’s less trepidation on my side than you’d expect. It’s been a great pleasure because I’ve been in the writer’s room.
“I'm an executive producer on the show so I’m involved in the decision-making, anything from casting to wardrobe. It’s not always done this way but it’s an extremely empowering feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
“The Reed Dance Stalker”, Makholwa-Moabelo’s long-awaited sequel to “Red Ink”, is also now available in all good bookstores.
∎ “Red Ink” will stream on Showmax from February 12.