Rachel Portman (The Cider House Rules, Emma, Chocolat, The Manchurian Candidate, Never Let Me Go) has revealed in a recent interview during the Zurich Film Festival (where she received the Career Achievement Award) that she is set to score the upcoming Showtime original series King Shaka. The show is created by Olu Odebunmi & Tolu Awosika and stars Charmaine Bingwa, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Tony Kgoroge, Sindi Dlatu and Bahle Hadebe. The drama tells the story of the Zulu Empire founder Shaka and his unlikely rise to power, uniting multiple tribes across vast stretches of Africa in the early 19th century to transform his power into legend. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) is executive producing the Propagate and Hill District Media production with Bridget Carpenter (11.22.63, The Red Road), Ben Silverman & Howard T. Owens (Charmed, Blood & Treasure), Rodney Ferrell, Spencer Medof, as well as Seith Mann (Raising Dion) who is also directing the first episode. King Shaka is being shot at the historic KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Africa province, the birthplace of King Shaka, and will premiere in 2023 on Showtime.