Starz Developing “Havana Quartet” Series Starring Banderas

Antonio Banderas may soon be Havana good time on television.

Starz is developing a series set to star the 54-year-old Spanish actor, according to the network’s CEO Chris Albrecht.

Antonio Banderas

Banderas will also serve as an executive producer on the series.

Havana Quartet, based on the popular book series by Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura, follows a hard-drinking, romantic Cuban Police Detective Mario Conde (Banderas) who longs to be a writer but settled for a job as a detective.

Eduardo Machado will write the pilot.

Being developed from Entertainment One Television’s Havana Quartet, eOne will produce the series and distribute the hour-long drama worldwide.

“Starz continues to see great opportunity in continued programming diversification with many communities and genres,” said Albrecht. “Partnering with eOne to develop the drama series Havana Quartet with international star Antonio Banderas will allow us to give viewers a premium show that highlights the decaying beauty of Cuba during its ‘Special Period’ — a time and place which tourists rarely got to experience.”

Pancho Mansfield, president of global scripted programming of eOne Television, commented, “Havana Quartet is a series that captures both the romance and the underbelly of a country that has struck our collective curiosity and imagination for decades, and it was important for us to create a show that is authentic to Padura’s elegant, noir-tinged novels and to Cuba itself. We are delighted to partner with Starz and to have assembled such an exceptional team of talent to bring this special project to life.”

Leave a Reply