Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna Sign First-Look Deals with Amazon

Amazon Studios today announced it has signed a first look deal with award-winning actors and producers Gael García Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle) and Diego Luna (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), who currently serve as executive producers on the upcoming limited series Untitled Cortés and Moctezuma Project, from Amazon Studios and Amblin Television. As part of the deal, Bernal and Luna will create and produce content for Amazon Studios to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Luna and Bernal recently announced their new production house in Mexico, La Corriente del Golfo, an independent company for cinematic, theatrical, and television productions and a variety of community-oriented projects.

"We are delighted and grateful at La Corriente del Golfo for our first look deal with Amazon Studios," said Bernal. "This provides an opportunity for us and for talent in Latin America to create ambitious and interesting projects."

Said Luna: "This is an important moment for everyone at La Corriente del Golfo. We are very excited to work hand in hand with Amazon, as this will allow us to reach new audiences and to tell stories that represent us and reflect our realities."

"We are incredibly excited to expand Amazon Studios' relationship with the multitalented team of Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna," said Vernon Sanders, Co-Head of Television, Amazon Studios. "Their talent, creativity, and global perspective will undoubtedly result in even more compelling content for our Amazon Prime Video customers."

The Untitled Cortés and Moctezuma Project will be a four-hour epic drama that maps the inexorable march and eventual clash between Spanish conquistador Hern'n Cortés and Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II, leading to the annihilation of an empire and tragic downfall of a civilization that took centuries to build, but less than two years to destroy. Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) is set to star and also serves as executive producer. From Amazon Studios and Amblin Television, the limited series is created for television and written by Academy Award-winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List) and based on the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday). Bardem, Bernal and Luna will executive produce alongside Zaillian, Kirk Douglas (Spartacus), Grant Hill (The Tree of Life), and co-Presidents of Amblin Television Darryl Frank (The Americans) and Justin Falvey (The Americans).

Diego Luna was introduced to worldwide audiences with his starring role in the award-winning Y Tu Mam' También, alongside Gael García Bernal for director Alfonso Cuar'n. A filmmaker who has directed the feature films Abel which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection, Cesar Chavez, Mr. Pig and the documentary J.C. Chavez. Luna currently stars as Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in Netflix's Narcos: Mexico which will return for season 2 on February 13th. He most recently appeared in If Beale Street Could Talk for director Barry Jenkins and the third and final season of the Emmy-winning original DreamWorks series Trollhunters from Oscar-winner Guillermo Del Toro for Netflix. He will next be seen reprising his role as Captain Cassian Andor from the box office hit Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in a live-action prequel series for Disney+.

Luna has directed the feature films Cesar Chavez starring Michael Pena and Mr. Pig starring Danny Glover.

Bernal is one of the great actors of today, recently gaining critical acclaim and a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in the Amazon Original series MOZART IN THE JUNGLE in 2016. In 2017, Bernal received another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in the second season.

Bernal has starred in countless films including the globally celebrated feature, Alfonso Cuar'n's Academy Award-nominated Y Tu Mam' También (And Your Mother Too) and The Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de una motocicleta). Bernal received a BAFTA and Satellite Award nomination in 2005 for Best Actor for his work in The Motorcycle Diaries. In 2006, Bernal was recognized by BAFTA again with a nomination in the Rising Star category, acknowledging new talent in the acting industry. Other credits include Rosewater, El Ardor, Desierto, and Neruda. Bernal earned Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film for his role in Neruda at the Palm Springs Film Festival. The film was also nominated for a 2017 Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language. He also appeared in the Academy Award-winning Pixar-animated feature Coco, and Netflix's The Kindergarten Teacher (2018).

His latest films include Wasp Network, Pablo Larraín's EMA, and Chicuartotes, Bernal's second time directing a feature film.

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