Tag Archives: Michelle Jenner

Netflix Renews Pedro Alonso’s “Berlin” for Second Season

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Pedro Alonso isn’t leaving Berlin just yet…

Netflix has renewed Money Heist spinoff Berlin, starring the 52-year-old Spanish actor, writer and artist, for a second season.

Pedro AlonsoHailing from Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato, the new season of the acclaimed series will begin filming next year.

Berlin, played by Alonso, will return alongside his entire gang for another run of the spinoff, which was made off the back of the huge global success of Netflix Spain’s La Casa de Papel (Money Heist). The series acts as a prequel to Money Heist, following the protagonist on a different caper.

Along with Alonso, the series also stars Michelle Jenner, who plays Keila, an expert in electronic engineering, Tristán Ulloa as Damián, a philanthropic professor and Berlin’s confidant, Begoña Vargas is Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge, Julio Peña Fernández plays Roi, Berlin’s faithful squire, and Joel Sánchez brings Bruce to life, the relentless man of action in the gang.

Netflix said Berlin was its most-watched series globally during premiere week last year, reaching the top 10 in 91 countries. It then remained in the non-English TV top 10 for seven consecutive weeks, amassing 348 million hours viewed and 53 million total views, Netflix added.

Pina’s Vancouver Media is producing again.

Money Heist ran for three seasons across five parts, first on local network Antena 3 and then on Netflix. It ended in 2021 and is one of Netflix’s most popular international titles of all time.

Mario Casas to Star in Netflix’s Spanish-Language “Bird Box” Spin-Off

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Mario Casas is being Box-ed in…

The 35-year-old Spanish actor will star in Netflix’s Spanish-language spin-off of its hit film Bird Box, which goes into production in November.

Mario CasasCasas will star opposite Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Naila Schuberth, Patrick Criado and Celia Freijeiro in the Barcelona-set film, with Lola Dueñas, Gonzalo de Castro, Michelle Jenner and Leonardo Sbaraglia also appearing in the project.

Alex and David Pastor are writing and will direct the film, which will be an expansion of the Bird Box universe.

After a mysterious force decimates the world’s population by causing all who see it to take their lives, Sebastian and his young daughter Anna must navigate their own journey of survival through the desolate streets of Barcelona. But as they form an uneasy alliance with other survivors and make their way toward a safe haven, a threat more sinister than the unseen creatures grows.

The original film, directed by Susanne Bier and starring Sandra Bullock, attracted 89 million households over its first four weeks of release, which at the time made it the second biggest Netflix original movie.

Bird Box producers Dylan Clark and Chris Morgan are returning for the Spanish movie, alongside Adrián Guerra and Núria Valls for Nostromo Pictures.

“The original 2018 Bird Box continues to be one of the most popular films on Netflix and our new Spanish-language project presents an innovative way to expand the Bird Box universe. Alex and David Pastor presented an idea that will tell a broader story that we think that fans of the first film will enjoy,” said David Kosse, Netflix’s VP of Film for Netflix in EMEA.

“Our world has never been more interconnected. To explore the phenomenon that is Bird Box with David and Alex Pastor following people surviving in Barcelona is a timely opportunity to not only entertain but also show how dependent we all are to each other,” commented Dylan Clark.

“Bird Box became a worldwide phenomenon for being an intensely emotional story of a mother and her children fighting to survive a terrifying apocalypse. In our new chapter, our incredible filmmakers Alex and David Pastor are boldly expanding Bird Box in a globally-connected way that only Netflix can deliver,” said Chris Morgan.

“The result is an intense, unexpected survival story with familial emotion and heart. I can’t wait for audiences around the world to see the surprising mysteries that unfold on the streets of Barcelona.”

Casas’ credits include Las brujas de Zugarramurdi, El Practicante and El Inocente.

Almodovar’s “Julieta” Selected as Spain’s Official Best Foreign Language Film Entry

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Spain is putting its Oscar bet on Pedro Almodovar…

The Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected the 66-year-old Spanish filmmaker’s drama Julieta as its official submission in the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar race, marking the sixth time the director has represented Spain in the category.

Pedro Almodovar

The film, which Sony Pictures Classics will release in the U.S. on December 21, was selected by the organization from a shortlist of three titles including Iciar Bollain’s The Olive Tree and Paula Ortiz’s The Bride.

Julieta, Almodovar’s 20th film, premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this year and was welcomed by critics and festgoers.

Produced by Esther Garcia through brothers Pedro and Agustin Almodovar’s banner El Deseo, the film is based on three short stories by Canadian Nobel laureate Alice Munro.

It follows the story of a woman who lives in Madrid with her daughter Anita who both suffer in silence over the loss of Xoan, Anita’s father and Julieta’s husband. The grief eventually drives them apart, and Anita abandons her mother age 18 without an explanation.

Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suarez, Rossy de Palma and Michelle Jenner star in the film, which was released in Spain in April through Warner Bros. and grossed $2.4 million in the territory.

Spain has won the Foreign Language Oscar category four times with the most recent win in 2004 with Alejandro Amenabar’s The Sea Inside.

The last time an Almodovar title was selected by the Spanish Academy as the country’s Oscar submission was in 2006 with Volver.