Movies, animation, comics, gaming and tech. Want to know what’s happening in Africa and beyond? Here’s the Run Down for this week.

NEWS OUT OF AFRICA –Gaming/Digital Art

Who is Smart Olive Games?

A Nigerian game development company, Smart Olive Games is one of the few studios within the African continent.

With their talent, the company aims to make games for both non-education and educational purposes for cultures around the world. Currently, their focus is on creating action RPGs with powerful storylines.

Having already released a number games since the company’s birth in 2016, Smart Olive Games now has another new release.

Battlegrounds: War, Tanks and Nukes

A military styled action tower defense game, Battlegrounds: War, Tanks and Nukes Battlegrounds is Smart Olive Games latest game following their release of Zack 2 in March.  

Utilising strategy, and by upgrading to new machinery and leveraging every new environment, Battlegrounds challenges the player to defend his home base from enemy tanks.

Check out more https://gamesindustryafrica.com/2021/10/20/smartolivegames-opens-up-about-pc-releases/

Meet Mark Modimola

A South African-based digital artist, Mark Modimola uses his art to tell a bold colours and arresting images to weave a beautiful narrative of the African culture and history.  But whilst his art celebrates the past it also, simultaneously looks ahead to the future and exploring themes of Afrofuturism, hair and nature.

His mesmerizing work can be viewed here https://www.behance.net/MarkModimola

Modimola’s work has featured in Africa Is Now Magazine and most recently, he has used his craft to support the #GiverHerACrown initiative.

Get On Board The #GiveHerACrown

A programme that addresses gender-based violence #GiverHerACrown is a campaign that invites 16 South African artists create a commissioned work of art to raise funding towards initiatives that will empower women in the future, through storytelling and the arts.

For the campaign, Mark Modimola contributed a specially made digital art print, alongside other South African artists. Check it out here https://giveheracrown.co.za/product-category/art/

 With Zolani Mahola of Freshly Ground as ambassador and Jaguar as the official auction partner, #GiverHerACrown campaign hopes to empower, recognise, value and protect the future generation of women.

Find out more https://giveheracrown.co.za/

NEWS BEYOND AFRICA – Movies/Entertainment

The Uncharted Trailer is Finally Out!

After being in and out of production for nearly a decade, Unchartered finally has an official trailer!

Based on the highly popular video game, Uncharted is a prequel film that follows young protagonist, Nathan Drake and his partner Victor “Sully” Sullivan  as they go in pursuit of “the greatest treasure never found” whilst also following clues that may lead to Nathan’s long lost brother.

Starring Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Heart of the Sea) as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg ( Pain and Gain, Instant Family Transformers: The Last Knight) as Victor Sullivan, Unchartered is an action-adventure that has long since been anticipated.

Check out the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZOnOfc83Q0

The film will be released in theatres on 18 February, 2022.

Find out more https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tom-holland-and-mark-wahlberg-tease-the-uncharted-movie-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/1100-6497339/