Caro Bringing 13-Episode Dark Comedy Project to Netflix

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Manolo Caro has landed a high-profile project…

Netflix has set an untitled half-hour dark comedy from the Mexican filmmaker.

Shooting will begin in Mexico early next year with the 13-episode series later available across all 190 Netflix territories.

Shot in 4K, the comedy revolves around a seemingly successful and idyllic family-run flower business full of dysfunctional secrets. When the patriarch finds out his longtime mistress has suddenly passed away, he decides to bring their children into the household alongside his current wife and family who didn’t know they existed.

The series explores the need to protect and forgive loved ones, no matter how uncomfortable.

Erik Barmack, Netflix vice president of international originals, cites the success of Club De Cuervos in Mexico and in other countries as reaffirming “our bet on Mexican talent and productions like the upcoming Ingobernable, and this new project with Manolo.”

Caro is best known for such films as Tales of an Immoral Couple, Elvira I’ll Give You My Life But I’m Using It, Love of My Loves, and I Don’t Know Whether to Slit My Veins or Leave Them Long.

This project will be part of the Netflix Original productions slate filmed in Latin America including Narcos, Club de Cuervos, Ingobernable, 3%, Edha, O Matador and the untitled project from Jose Padilha based on current events in Brazil.

Brühl In Talks to Star in Jose Padilha’s “Entebbe”

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Daniel Brühl is thisclose to lift off…

The 38-year-old half-Spanish actor is in talks to star opposite Rosamund Pike and Vincent Cassel in Jose Padilha’s Entebbe for Working Title.

Participant is also on board as producer and in negotiations to fully finance the film, which was penned by Greg Burke, who wrote Yann Demange’s brilliant ’71.

It’s the 1976 true story, when four hijackers — two Palestinian, two German — took a plane hostage and diverted it to land in Entebbe, Uganda, while they demanded the release of dozens of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian prisoners.

The ticking-clock thriller follows the hijackers, hostages, then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and future PM Shimon Peres trying to decide whether to negotiate or launch a raid to free the hostages, as well as the French crew led by the pilot who refused to leave when they could with the other French hostages.

Given Europe’s own summer of terror, with the wave of attacks in France and Germany — not to mention devastating attacks in Iraq, Turkey, Orlando and elsewhere — the picture is likely to have strong contemporary relevance even with its historical setting.

Padilha, who shot to prominence with his gritty police crime tale Elite Squad — which won Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2007 — will bring his research-based documentary background to bear as he did so successfully in both Elite Squad films, his searing documentary Bus 174 and, of course his brilliant Pablo Escobar Netflix drama Narcos. Padilha will examine the story from multiple points of view – the German and Palestinian hijackers, the Israeli (and other nationalities) hostages, as well as Israeli officials like Peres and Rabin.

The story of the Entebbe raid and hijackings has been told before on TV and in numerous docus. Peter Finch and Charles Bronson starred in the 1976 NBC movie of the week Raid On Entebbe directed by Irvin Kershner, while a rival TV movie Victory At Entebbe was produced the same year at ABC starring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

The latest project reps the first time the story will be told for the big screen by a filmmaking team at the absolute top of its game.

Brühl has The Zookeeper’s Wife opposite Jessica Chastain in post and is also set to star in the JJ Abrams-produced God Particle alongside Elizabeth Debicki, John Krasinski and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

Garcia Joins Cast of Fox’s Comic Book-Themed Drama “Lucifer”

Posted on June 25, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia is headed back to television…

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress has joined the cast of Fox’s comic book-themed drama Lucifer as a new series regular for Season 2.

Garcia will play Ella Lopez, the department’s new forensic scientist…and she sure does love her job. Ella grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood in Detroit, but also in a strong Catholic family, under the watchful and protective eye of her five brothers…which might explain some of her opposing personality traits. Her mutual belief in both faith and science proves a point of interest to Lucifer (and the rest of the department) as they get to know and love her quirky ways.

Known for her role as Dexter’s nanny Jamie Batista on Showtime’s Dexter, Garcia recently co-starred in CBS’ Rush Hour and filmed the indie Sister Cities with Alfred Molina, Jackie Weaver, Jess Weixler and Kathy Baker.

Her other credits include TV Land’s Impastor and Jose Padilha’s RoboCop.

Lozano Lands Role on Netflix’s “Narcos”

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Florencia Lozano is joining the war on drugs, so to speak…

The 46-year-old Argentine American actress, best known for portraying Téa Delgado on the soap opera One Life to Live and General Hospital, has landed a series regular role opposite Wagner Moura and Pedro Pascal on Season 2 of the Netflix drama series Narcos.

Written by Chris Brancato and directed by Jose Padilha, Narcos is the true-life story of the growth and spread of cocaine drug cartels across the globe and attendant efforts of law enforcement to meet them head on in brutal, bloody conflict.

Lozano will play DEA agent Claudia Messina.

She appeared in the feature film Amok alongside Josh Hamilton and Juliet Rylance. She’ll next be seen in Amy Makes Three.

Her television credits include appearances on The Mysteries of Laura, Blue Bloods, Royal Pains, Ugly Betty and Gossip Girl.

Padilha’s Netflix Crime Thriller “Narcos” Earns British Academy Television Awards Nomination

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

José Padilha’s latest project is earning special recognition overseas…

The 48-year-old Brazilian film and television director, producer and screenwriter has earned his first-ever British Academy Television Awards nomination for his Netflix original series Narcos, starring frequent collaborator Wagner Moura.

Padilha’s crime thriller, which tells the true story of notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, earned a nod in the Best International Series category from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

The series, which was renewed for a second season in September 2015, is up against The Good Wife, Spiral and Transparent.

The British Academy Television Awards will be handed out on May 8.

Here’s the detailed information on the category:

INTERNATIONAL SERIES
THE GOOD WIFE Production Team – Scott Free Productions, King Size Productions, CBST/More 4
NARCOS Jose Padilha, Eric Newman, Chris Brancato – Gaumont International Television/Netflix
SPIRAL Vassili Clert, Anne Landois – Canal + Creation Originale/Son et Lumiere/In association with BBC Four/BBC Four
TRANSPARENT Production Team – Amazon Studios/Amazon Prime Instant Video

Padilha to Co-Write and Direct “Mindcorp” for Warner Bros.

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Jose Padilha isn’t about to mind his own business…

Warner Bros. has purchased Mindcorp, a science fiction thriller based on a short story by the 47-year-old Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter that he’ll direct.

Dwain Worrell has been set to write the script with Padilha. It’s the second studio gig for Padilha after his Robocop remake.

The studio is keeping the logline under wraps, but in broad strokes it’s a high-concept intense thriller involving next-generation mind-body experimentation and a priest who becomes responsible for the survival of humanity.

Padilha won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Elite Squad in 2008.

Pascal to Star in Netflix’s Pablo Escobar-Themed Drama Series “Narcos”

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Pascal is ready to take down a notorious drug lord…

The 39-year-old Chilean actor will star opposite Wagner Moura on Netflix‘s drama series Narcos.

Directed by Jose Padilha and written by Chris Brancato, Narcos is the true-life story of the growth and spread of cocaine drug cartels across the globe and the efforts of law enforcement to meet them head on in brutal, bloody conflict.

It centers on notorious Colombian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar (Moura) and Javier Pena (Pascal), a Mexican DEA agent sent to Colombia on a U.S. mission to capture and ultimately kill him.

Executive produced by Padilha, Narcos will premiere on Netflix in 2015.

Pascal most recently wrapped a major recurring role on HBO’s blockbuster fantasy series Game Of Thrones. He also recently recurred on USA’s Graceland and CBS’ The Mentalist.

Moura to Portray Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s New Series Narcos

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Wagner Moura has landed one (drug) lord of a role…

The 37-year-old Brazilian film, television and stage actor has been cast as the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in Gaumont International Television and Netflix’s new series Narcos.

The starring role as the Medellin Cartel leader will reunite Moura with Brazilian director Jose Padilha, who directed him in Elite Squad films.

Moura portrayed the police captain who battled corruption in his effort to take down drug dealers in the two Padilha-directed films that were blockbuster hits in Brazil.

Now, Moura, one of Brazil’s biggest stars, will be bringing to life the biggest drug trafficker of his era.

The series, based on Padilha’s idea, will chronicle the life and death of Escobar, the cold-blooded jefe of the Medellin Cartel. Escobar, a known terrorist who was also a congressman and family man, was revered by the poor as a modern-day Robin Hood.

Padilha is slated to oversee and direct the 13-episode first season, which is eying a 2014 debut on Netflix.

Moura most recently gained recognition globally playing “Spider” in the 2013 sci-fi film Elysium.

Garcia Starring in Non-Typical Latina Role in Jose Padilha’s “RoboCop”

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Call it a Robo-tastic moment in Aimee Garcia’s acting career…

The 35-year-old Mexican American and Puerto Rican actress is starring in MGM‘s reboot of the RoboCop franchise.

Garcia portrays Dr. Jae Kim in the film, a role she landed through sheer determination even though the role was written with an Asian actress in mind.

“The role was not for a Latina initially,” Garcia told Efe in an interview. “But I fought hard. I wanted to work with (Brazilian director) Jose Padilha because I love the Elite Squad films. And the cast was amazing. So I did a lot of auditions. Why couldn’t a Latina be a scientist?”

“Jose chose me in the end and I feel proud to play someone who knows about biology, engineering and chemistry like modern-day Hispanics. That’s the reality. I like the fact young Latinos can see themselves reflected in my character and realize they can also achieve their dreams,” said Garcia.

RoboCop, a remake of the 1987 film of the same name, is set to open in U.S. theaters on February 12. It’s set in the year 2028 and tells the story of conglomerate OmniCorp’s efforts to bring its hi-tech crime-fighting technology to the United States.

A new product developed by OmniCorp scientist Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) has been developed to circumvent a ban on the use of drones: a half-man, half-machine known as “RoboCop.”

Garcia plays Norton’s assistant, Jae Kim, a researcher who heads a team responsible for assembling the first cyborg (Joel Kinnaman) and helping him transition to becoming a machine that can faithfully respond to a series of pre-programmed directives.

“We all know that Latinas are sexy, sassy and full of life, but it was time to also show another side of that reality: well-educated, intelligent people,” said Garcia, who most recently starred on Showime’s Dexter.

The Official Trailer Released for Padilha’s “Robocop” Remake

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The official trailer for José Padilha‘s highly anticipated RoboCop remake has been released…

The clip for the 46-year-old Brazilian director’s reinvention of Paul Verhoeven‘s 1987 cult sci-fi film begins with: “When crime is out of control, the only solution isn’t human.”

Starring The Killing‘s Joel Kinnaman in the role originally made famous by Peter Weller, the film centers on police officer Alex Murphy, who suffers fourth degree burns and the loss of a leg when his car blows up.

Murphy recovers to find himself trapped inside a robo-suit, designed by scientists Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) and Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton). It’s hoped that this part-man, part-robot police officer will fight crime in Detroit but, as we all know very well, things do not always work out as planned.

RoboCop also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish and Jay Baruchel.

With an estimated budget of $120 million, the new trailer showcases a number of epic special effects as well as plenty of new gadgetry.

The film from MGM–Columbia Pictures opens in theaters on February 7.

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