SPOTLIGHT | A mischievous sheep, a man and his dog, a deadly outbreak and cartoon favourites - TimesLIVE
Spotlight is our bite-size entertainment snapshot featuring new releases in SA, exclusive film trailers and more. New episodes come out every Thursday on Sunday Times Lifestyle, Sowetan Entertainment and YouTube, plus you can follow Spotlight on Facebook.
Click here to find previous episodes of Spotlight with all the movie news you need, and follow the show on Facebook for all the latest news and giveaways.
Spotlight has your Heritage Day entertainment plans covered with stop-motion chaos, survival against the odds, terrifying monsters and a return to one of animation’s most beloved worlds.
This Heritage Day, Shaun the Sheep is back in cinemas for more chaos and mayhem in Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. When Shaun goes full mad scientist to save the flock’s destroyed pumpkin patch ahead of Halloween, his experiment unleashes a mysterious beast onto Mossy Bottom. The flock must figure out how to deal with their unexpected visitor before things get completely out of hand. It’s the biggest Shaun the Sheep movie yet, and Spotlight went behind the scenes with members of the creative team to find out more about bringing the mischievous sheep and his latest adventure to the big screen.
Sometimes survival comes down to the bond between two unlikely heroes. In Heart of the Beast, a former special forces soldier and his combat dog must navigate the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness after a devastating plane crash. Directed by David Ayer, known for Suicide Squad and Fury, the film reunites him with Brad Pitt, JK Simmons and Anna Lambe. One man, one dog and zero room for error, Heart of the Beast is in cinemas.
Halloween has come early as the iconic video game franchise gets a terrifying new reboot in Resident Evil. When a medical courier’s routine night takes a horrifying turn, a deadly outbreak sends everything around him into chaos and turns survival into the only objective. Directed by Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind Barbarian and Weapons, the film stars Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser and Zach Cherry. Raccoon City is back, and the monsters are ready to come out. Resident Evil is in cinemas and IMAX.
Grab your sword and your best bud because Finn and Jake are back in Adventure Time: Side Quests, coming soon to Cartoon Network. The new series heads back to the early days of the iconic friendship, following younger versions of Finn and Jake as they embark on standalone adventures across the wonderfully weird Land of Ooo. The returning voice cast includes John DiMaggio as Jake, Tom Kenny and Olivia Olson, with Sasha Knight joining as the voice of young Finn. Spotlight caught up with the team to find out how they’re bringing one of animation’s most iconic friendships back to life.
Next week, we head to the nerd Olympics for all the highlights from Comic Con Africa 2026, the ultimate celebration of pop culture, gaming and everything geek.
For full interviews, breaking news, trailers and clips, visit our Spotlight Facebook page. See you at the movies.
Presenter Collette Prince is styled and dressed by Claris by Gerrit Pienaar when attending premieres and special events.
Facebook @Claris by Gerrit Pienaar/Instagram: gerritpienaardesigns.
We’re giving you the chance to get in on the Shaun the Sheep adventures with movie merchandise hampers up for grabs.
For full competition details and the question, go to the Spotlight SA Facebook page and DM your answers and contact details by October 2 2026.
Winners will be drawn randomly and notified by SMS after the competition has closed. Entrants’ personal details will not be retained for marketing purposes. Winners have to provide proof of age (ID/driving licence) and cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. By entering, participants agree to have their names published on TimesLIVE, SowetanLIVE and Spotlight SA on Facebook. Employees of Arena Holdings and their family members are not eligible to enter.
