M-Net kicks 8pm Sunday movie to the curb for new local series ‘Devil’s Peak’

It has become a ritual in many South African households to watch the 8pm movie after Carte Blanche, ending the weekend off on a relaxing note.

However, M-Net has decided to shake Mzansi’s Sunday evenings up a little.

Earlier this week, the channel announced from 29 October, the Sunday movie will move to 9pm to make way for M-Net’s highly awaited local flag-ship series, Devil’s Peak to be aired at 8pm.

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What is Devil’s Peak about?

Despite having authored several other novels including Thirteen Hours, Icarus and Trackers (which was also adapted into a hit M-Net series). Devils Peak, however, is the novel that really shoved Deon Meyer onto the international spotlight. The book has been translated into more than 20 languages, selling beyond 1 million copies worldwide and winning several literary awards.

“Devil’s Peak shows the extraordinarily beautiful city of Cape Town with and without its mask. It’s the tale of iconic detective Griessel’s struggle against external and internal demons to find justice for others and redemption for himself.

“It’s also the story of a father willing to do anything to avenge the death of his young son. Not all deaths, the story suggests, are mourned equally,” said Waldimar Pelser, the Director for Premium Channels at M-Net in August when the series was first announced.

Devil’s Peak trailer

The action-packed trailer gives viewers a glimpse of a Cape Town as beautiful as it is brutal, as well as introductions to the cast. We see Benny struggling with his addiction, Thobela on a path of vengeance, Anna in her fraught relationship, and Mbali weighing in on the case.

Watch the trailer below:

Meet the main cast members

Hilton Pelser as Benny Griessel

“A troubled Afrikaans detective driven to depression and alcoholism by his exposure to Cape Town’s rampant violence and corruption. Benny’s escalating panic attacks have started to get the better of him, as his drinking threatens to derail both his marriage and career. Despite his fragile state of mind, Benny continues to hide from his problems, relying on his authority, quick wit and affable nature to get by. Benny’s hunt for the Assegai Killer will force him to confront uncomfortable sides of himself and challenge his beliefs about the nature of good and evil.”

Sisanda Henna as Thobela Mpayiphel

“When a family tragedy strikes, Thobela, a retired Secret Service operative, takes matters into his own hands. Putting his combat and surveillance skills to use, and employing an assegai spear to kill his victims, Thobela’s vengeance captures the imagination of a city in pain. Thobela wants his victims to understand the reasons for their deaths, but the more violence he commits, the more he risks losing himself.”

Shamilla Miller as Anna Griessel

“A fearless journalist married to Benny Griessel, Anna was first drawn to Benny’s wild charisma, but his deepening alcohol dependency has tested Anna’s patience to the limit. Practically raising their daughter alone, Anna isn’t going to let Benny, or anyone, take away everything she’s worked so hard for. An article about the disappearance of a young boy draws Anna into the world of the Assegai Killer and her journalistic skill will prove useful for Benny. But whilst Anna wants Benny to turn things around, she’s going to do what’s right for herself and her family.”

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Tarryn Wyngaard as Christine van Rooyen

“Mother to a young daughter and struggling to get by, Christine earns extra money attending parties thrown by Cape Town’s shady businessmen. Determined and resourceful but at the same time routinely underestimated, Christine’s ability to exploit other people’s preconceptions of her will end up being her greatest weapon as she is drawn into the world of the Assegai Killer.”

Albert Pretorius as Anton Heidt

Anton Heidt “works hard to project an image of legitimacy as an affluent businessman and property tycoon, but the widely recognised truth is that Heidt’s fortune rests not on bricks and mortar but on protection rackets, blackmail and violence. Heidt’s wealth and power sustains the illusion that he can take whatever he wants, whenever he wants it”.

Masasa Mbangeni as Mbali Kaleni

Mbali is “one of SAPS’s few university-educated officers and is a stand-out young detective. Mbali puts up with her colleagues’ condescension and sexism, focussing instead on furthering her career, and although she sees Benny as the poster boy for white male privilege, the pair develop a begrudging respect for one another. Mbali admires Benny’s intuitive hunches and recognises that despite his recklessness, he tends in the right direction”.

Litha Bam as Col. Themba Genge

Genge is “a loving husband and happy home life are sources of great comfort, enabling him to cope with the horrors that surround him at work. Genge is an authoritative and pragmatic leader and, as one of the few people aware of the true extent of Benny’s drinking, a vital ally to Benny, encouraging him to seek help. However, over the course of the series Genge and Benny’s relationship will be tested by Benny’s increasingly erratic behaviour”.

Gérard Rudolf as Boef Beukes

Boef Beukes is an “experienced SAPS officer brought into Benny’s Assegai Killer investigation. Boef is a close ally of Benny’s, both as a friend and as a colleague, supporting Benny at his lowest and backing his unconventional policing methods, even when doing so puts Boef himself in the firing line”.

The series will premiere on Sunday 29 October at 8pm. It will be live-streamed on DStv Stream and is available on DStv Catch Up after broadcast.

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