More than a series. The German King is a movement.
The Story
In 1914, Rudolf Douala Manga Bell - King of the Douala people in what is now Cameroon – was hanged by the German colonial government for refusing to surrender his people’s ancestral land. They seized their lands and subjugated the people. Rudolf petitioned the Kaiser, appealed to the Reichstag, played by every rule they had written. And on September 8, 1914, they hanged him for it. The world is still reckoning with what was taken. Germany itself is only now beginning to confront its colonial past - from Namibia to Cameroon, the conversations around land, sovereignty, and restitution are louder than they have ever been. This is one of those stories. And it has never been told on screen. Until now.
The German King is a premium historical drama series based on real events, real people, and a real injustice the world has largely forgotten - but that his descendants have never stopped remembering. This is a thoroughly human story. From plot to characterization, it highlights the humanity of all people. Regardless of geography, race, or cultural background, the highest human calling is to treat another with acceptance, respect, and ultimately love. We want to showcase the full human condition - not just the beautiful and the good, but the darker parts too. Because only by looking honestly at what happened can we learn from it, celebrate what was heroic, and renounce what was unjust.
Why This Story. Why Now.
Creator and lead actor Adetokumboh M’Cormack grew up in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Kenya. It wasn’t until he left Africa that he began to learn the history that existed before colonization - history that was never taught to him, on that same continent. That erasure is what drives this project.
“I felt compelled to tell this story so that another young boy growing up in Africa would have the opportunity that I didn’t have - to see themselves reflected positively in the media. To see that a Black man in the 1900s could in fact be smart and articulate and brilliant and a king. Someone that a 12-year-old me would have loved to look up to and emulate.” - Adetokumboh M’Cormack
**Revenue data for these projects are from Box Office Mojo, found at https://www.boxofficemojo.com.
The market has spoken - loudly and repeatedly. Black Panther shattered global box office records and proved that the world is hungry for African royalty and sovereignty stories told with prestige production value. The Crown demonstrated that premium historical drama built around real royals commands a massive, sustained global audience season after season. Shaka iLembe - the epic series about the legendary Zulu king - swept its national awards and earned an 8.9/10 on IMDb, setting a new standard for African historical storytelling. The Woman King proved that theatrical audiences worldwide will pay to see African resistance stories on the biggest screen.
The German King sits at the intersection of all four. It is an African story told from lived experience - not filtered through someone else’s gaze. And it is a story whose time has unquestionably come.
Rudolf’s story is just the beginning. The German King universe spans heroes across three continents whose stories have never been told at this scale. The pitch deck tells you more – but the heart of it all starts here, with a king who refused to bow.
The Proof Is Already There
The German King began as a short film that won awards at major film festivals worldwide - including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Short Film. It earned a Best Actor Award at the Academy Award qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival, and won Best Short Film at Ecrans Noirs Film Festival. It was Executive Produced by NCIS star Pauley Perrette.
The short was a proof of concept - built to show the world that this story deserved to be told at scale. It accomplished exactly that. Now we are expanding that vision into a full multi-season series.
The Team
Adetokumboh M’Cormack - Creator, Executive Producer & and Lead Actor. Credits include the Oscar-nominated Blood Diamond, Netflix’s Castlevania (Isaac, two Voice Arts Award nominations), Disney+’s X-Men ’97 (En Sabah Nur, who becomes Apocalypse), Lost, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Battle: Los Angeles, and The Chosen. He brings not just creative vision but a global platform, an established fanbase, and the lived cultural authenticity this story demands.
Constance Ejuma - Award-winning Cameroonian actress with SAG and AMAA awards, including recognition for her work on Marvel’s Black Panther. A rich and diverse career across film, television, and theatre.
Prince Daniel Douala Manga Bell Charlier-Smith - Consulting Producer. A direct descendant of Rudolf Douala Manga Bell himself. His involvement ensures this story is told with the full blessing, guidance, and living authority of the royal family it belongs to. His participation is not ceremonial - it is essential.
Glenton Richards - Writer. Writers Guild-nominated, with credits including Fargo, American Crime (alongside Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridley), and Amazon Prime’s The Expanse.
Stephanie Filo, ACE - Editor. Three-time Emmy and Peabody Award winner. In 2021 she won a Primetime Emmy for HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, making her team the first all-Women of Color editing team to win Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming.
Where We Are
This is not a pitch deck and a dream. Here is where we stand:
• 2,000+ investors and over $1.2 million raised in our previous crowdfunding round
• Production infrastructure established in Europe and Africa
• Royal family partnership confirmed with Prince Daniel Douala Manga Bell Charlier-Smith as Consulting Producer
• Award-winning short film proof of concept recognized internationally
• African government co-production interest active
• Our work extends beyond the screen - through educational film programs across Africa, we are actively building the next generation of storytellers on the continent this story belongs to.
The Investment
Your investment buys shares in TGK Entertainment, Inc. - the company that owns the rights to all seasons of The German King. This is not a one-season bet. This is ownership in the whole story.
Preferred shareholders receive a 120% return preference on all distributions before any profits flow to common shareholders. Once that threshold is reached, preferred and common shareholders split profits equally. You are prioritized from the start.
Please note: As with all private securities, shares are subject to transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws. Investors should be prepared to hold shares for an indefinite period. This is a long-term investment in a story we believe will endure.
Past success in other projects does not guarantee the success of The German King. Revenue does not guarantee profits. There can be no assurance that projected results will be obtained, and actual results may vary significantly from projections. Investing in early-stage companies involves significant risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment.Success in other projects does not guarantee success of The German King. Revenue does not guarantee profits. There can be no assurance that the projected results will be obtained, and actual results may vary significantly from the projections.
What’s Ahead
Every person who stands with us now doesn’t just support the project - they help drive it forward. With powerful footage already captured across Africa and Europe, Season 1 is poised to bring Rudolf’s world to life with sweeping scale, rich cultural authenticity, and the bold cinematic ambition this story deserves - positioning this story to reach audiences around the world.