Netflix Releases Trailer for Jennifer Lopez’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez is fighting to save the world…

Netflix has released the official trailer for the 54-year-old Puerto Rican star’s new sci-fi thriller Atlas.

“The future of humanity is in her hands,” reads the opening subtitle to the trailer.

The film, which opens May 24, follows Atlas Shepherd (Lopez), a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, who joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it.

Starring alongside Lopez are Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla and Mark Strong.

The film was written by Leo Sardarian and Aron Eli Coleite, with Brad Peyton serving as the director.

Lopez last led Netflix’s The Mother, which debuted on the streamer on May 12, 2023. The action thriller was watched by 2.8M U.S. households over its debut weekend, according to L+2D data from Samba TV. According to data, the film outperformed two of Netflix’s other recent popular films, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Murder Mystery 2. The film went on to enter Netflix’s most popular film list.

Andrés Guardado Signs with Liga MX’s León

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Andrés Guardado is making his triumphant return to Mexico.

The 37-year-old Mexican professional footballer, a midfielder who retired from the national team in 2023 after a record-breaking 179 appearances for Mexico, has been signed by Liga MX’s León side.

The former Mexico captain and five-time World Cup participant is returning to Liga MX after last playing for boyhood club Atlas in 2007.

After leaving Atlas, Guardado had a lengthy 17-year run in European club soccer that took him through Deportivo La Coruña, Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen, PSV Eindhoven, and most recently, Real Betis.

Guardado stands as the Mexican with the most seasons in European soccer and as the all-time non-domestic leader in appearances (218) with Real Betis.

“The Green and White Captain has been key in the sporting growth in recent years. With him, the team has qualified for European competitions four times and also won the Copa del Rey in 2022,” Real Betis said in a statement.

“The Club would like to effusively thank Guardado for his services and wish him all the best in the future.”

Under the guidance of new manager Jorge Bava, León kicked off the 2024 Clausura season on Wednesday with a 2-1 loss at home to Tigres.

Earlier in December, the 2023 Concacaf Champions League winners were knocked out in their debut match at the Club World Cup after a 1-0 loss to Urawa Red Diamonds.

Luciano Acosta Named 2023 Major League Soccer MVP

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Luciano Acosta is Major League Soccer’s all-star player of the year…

The 29-year-old Argentine professional footballer and FC Cincinnati midfielder has been named the 2023 MLS MVP, the league has revealed.

Acosta received 60.37% of the vote among players, media and technical staff to easily beat LAFC forward Denis Bouanga, who received 14.97%.

Atlanta United FC‘s Thiago Almada finished third in the voting with 6.46%.

“I’m very proud of this team,” Acosta said in a video produced by the team that was shot when he was told he had won the award. “I think everybody deserves something this year. We deserve more. We have to give it our all. Let’s go.”

He later joked, “I don’t want to go to practice. I won the MVP.”

Acosta, a Buenos Aires, Argentina, native led the league with 31 goal contributions during the regular season, with 17 goals and 14 assists, and helped Cincinnati to their first Supporters Shield.

Cincinnati remains in contention to claim the MLS Cup, as it faces in-state rivals the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference final this Saturday.

Acosta is just the sixth player in league history to record three or more seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.

Acosta is the ninth South American-born player to earn the honor and first since Josef Martínez won the award with Atlanta United in 2018.

Other Argentines to win the award are Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers, 2015), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew, 2008), and Christian Gómez (D.C. United, 2006).

Acosta has been a prolific attacking player ever since he entered the league in 2016 with D.C. United, scoring 58 goals and adding 78 assists, the most goal contributions by any player in that span.

Only Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC, last year’s MVP, has made more contributions since Acosta made his Cincinnati debut in 2021.

His 43 regular-season assists since 2021 are the second-most of any MLS player during that time, and only Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro (80) has more regular-season assists than the Cincinnati playmaker since 2016.

Acosta began his professional career with famed Argentine side Boca Juniors, making his professional debut in 2014.

He spent the 2016 campaign on loan with D.C. United before making the move permanent a year later, and went on to score 25 goals in 137 league and cup appearances.

He spent 15 months with Liga MX side Atlas before joining FC Cincinnati.

Lana Parrilla to Star Opposite J.Lo in Netflix’s AI Drama “Atlas”

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Lana Parrilla is heading out of this world…

The 45-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress will star opposite Jennifer Lopez in Netflix’s AI drama Atlas, directed by Brad Peyton.

Parrilla joins Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown and Abraham Popoola in the film penned by Aron Eli Coleite and Leo Sardarian.

In Atlas, an intelligence analyst gets stranded on a distant planet and must learn to fight inside a military-grade mech suit in order to survive.

Parrilla played Regina Mills, aka The Evil Queen, for 156 episodes on ABC’s hit series Once Upon a Time. Her work on the show earned her the NHMC Impact Award; an ALMA Award for Outstanding TV Actress; a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress: Fantasy / Sci-Fi; and, as voted by fans, TV Guide’s Best Villain twice.

She recently starred on Marc Cherry’s Paramount+ series Why Women Kill, a role for which she received a Gracie Award for Best Supporting Actress in Comedy. She also starred alongside Bobby Soto, Shia LaBeouf and George Lopez in David Ayer’s indie thriller The Tax Collector.

Prior to that, Parrilla was a series regular on ABC’s sitcom Spin City, Graham Yost’s Boomtown, 24, Swingtown, and on Jerry Bruckheimer’s medical drama Miami Medical.

In addition to her on-screen work, Parrilla stepped behind the camera and went on to direct one of the final episodes of Once Upon a Time. She also executive produced the documentary Split at the Root, which premiered this year at SXSW.

Liga MX’s Club America Signs Nestor Araujo & Jurgen Damm

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Nestor Araujo and Jurgen Damm has joined the Club…

Liga MX giants Club America have announced the signings of the 30-year-old Mexican professional footballer and the 29-year-old Mexican professional footballer.

The news was made official on Friday, just eight days away from the team’s 2022 Apertura season-opener against Atlas on July 2.

Club America will pay Celta Vigo up to $4 million for Araujo, with $3 million up front and the rest determined by performance-related incentives, according to Spain’s Faro de Vigo.

The central defender has signed a three-year deal with Las Aguilas, reported ESPN MX.

Damm, who has been part of Club America’s preseason training, will have a six-month contract with a possible six-month extension.

Damm has yet to play an official match in 2022 after Atlanta United exercised an offseason buyout of his guaranteed contract in February. Prior to his stint in MLS from 2020-21, he played for Tigres in Liga MX.

Araujo is returning from Europe after a four-season stay with Celta Vigo in LaLiga. He was a key figure for the mid-table Spanish side that narrowly avoided relegation when he arrived in 2018. The veteran will look to continue claiming regular minutes ahead of an expected spot on Mexico’s roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The signings of Araujo and Damm follow Club America’s headline-stealing addition of Uruguay forward Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodriguez earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Las Aguilas gained a 5-2 preseason win over Leon at San Jose Earthquakes‘ PayPal Park. Manager Fernando Ortiz and his roster will soon head back to Mexico City, where they will prepare for next week’s start of the 2022 Apertura.

Jonathan dos Santos Joins Liga MX Side Club America

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jonathan dos Santos is headed back to his home country…

The 31-year-old Mexican professional footballer and former LA Galaxy captain has joined Club America, the Liga MX side announced on Thursday.

The deal would be for two years, according to ESPN reports, with the Mexico City side announcing on Thursday that the El Tri star had officially joined the team.

The Liga MX Clausura season kicks off on January 7. Las Aguilas finished atop the regular season table of the recently completed Apetura campaign but were ousted in the playoffs, with Atlas winning the title.

Dos Santos was a free agent after the Galaxy stated in late November that it had parted ways with the former designated player.

“I feel I’m in pretty good shape. I am 31 years old. People say that I am coming to retire here; that’s not true. I still have a lot to give in my career and to this club. I am hungry. I want to win titles with América and make the fans happy,” Dos Santos said.

During his time with the Galaxy that started in 2017, Dos Santos made 103 appearances for the club and was selected as an MLS All-Star in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In his last two years, injuries took a toll on regular appearances.

The move to Liga MX is a first for Dos Santos, who has previously also played in LaLiga for Barcelona and Villarreal. Jonathan’s older brother Giovani, currently a free agent, previously played for Club America before being dropped over the summer.

“Since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day I would play in America. My father played here, Gio too, the Dos Santos’ already made history in this club,” Dos Santos said. “My dad always told us, you have to play for America, you have to fulfill that dream. It’s the best team in Mexico. I left the country 20 years ago, so having the opportunity to return and play for the best team is a big honor for me.”

Dos Santos’ move to Club America comes two days after fellow El Tri teammate Sebastian Cordova left Las Aguilas for Tigres UANL.

Jennifer Lopez to Star in Netflix’s Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez will be fighting to save the world…

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar will star in and produce the Netflix sci-fi thriller Atlas.

The film will be directed by Brad Peyton, with Aron Eli Coleite is writing the most recent draft of the script based off Leo Sardarian’s original script.

Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell will produce for Safehouse Pictures along with Peyton and Jeff Fierson for ASAP Entertainment, as well as Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina joining Lopez to produce through Nuyorican Productions.

The film follows Atlas, a woman fighting for humanity in a future where an AI soldier has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity. To outthink this rogue AI, Atlas must work with the one thing she fears most — another AI.

“I’m so honored to be working with Jennifer, Elaine and the rest of the team at Nuyorican Productions along with our partners Joby and Tory at Safehouse,” Peyton said. “Having the chance to direct Jennifer in the title role of this movie is a dream come true, as I know she’ll bring the incredible strength, depth and authenticity we’ve all come to admire from her work. Furthermore, Jeff and I are so excited to be back working with Scott, Ori and the entire team at Netflix. They have been nothing short of amazing to work with and we are blessed to have the opportunity to make another movie on the service.”

The film falls under the newly announced creative partnership between Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Netflix where Lopez, producing partner Goldsmith-Thomas and longtime manager Medina will produce a slate of films, television series, scripted and unscripted content, with an emphasis on projects that support diverse female actors, writers and filmmakers.

The first two announced projects both starring Lopez include The Mother, which is directed by Niki Carpo, and The Cipher, based on the novel by Isabella Maldonado.

Lopez can be seen next in the Universal rom com Marry Me opposite Owen Wilson and also has the Lionsgate action comedy Shotgun Wedding. Both films come out in 2022.

Edgar Ramirez to Star in Eli Roth’s Film Adaptation of “Borderlands” Video Game

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Edgar Ramirez is heading to the borderlands…

The 44-year-old Venezuelan actor will portray Atlas in Eli Roth’s adaptation of the bestselling video game Borderlands for Lionsgate.

Ramirez joins Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Haley Bennett, and Jack Black. In the game, Atlas is a business titan and arms manufacturer, and the most powerful person in the universe.

“What an incredible honor to have an actor of Edgar’s caliber, talent, and charisma playing opposite Cate Blanchett and this remarkable cast,” Roth said. “Atlas has to be a truly magnetic personality, someone with charisma and charm but that air of menace underneath it all. I’ve been a fan of Edgar’s since his early performances and he continues to amaze me with each dramatic turn. We want to create something wild, fun, and very different from anything they’ve seen from Edgar before. I am so, so excited to work with him.”

In the film, Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Ramirez). Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot. These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.

Based on the game from Gearbox and 2K, one of the bestselling video game franchises of all time, welcome to Borderlands.

“The force of Edgar’s presence and the strength of his talent as an actor make him an ideal choice to play Atlas, a character who controls the fate of so many in the Borderlands universe. He’s the perfect addition to this perfect cast,” said Nathan Kahane, president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.

Borderlands is one of the world’s most successful video game franchises, with more than 68 million units sold-in worldwide, including over 24 million units of Borderlands 2, which is the highest-selling title in the history of 2K. The most recent installment, Borderlands 3, which launched in September 2019 and was recently released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, has sold-in more than 12 million units worldwide and was honored with the award for Best Multiplayer Game at Gamescom 2019 and Best Ongoing Game at Gamescom 2020.

The latest draft of the screenplay is by Craig Mazin.

Ramirez has stayed busy over the past year, most recently starring opposite Jennifer Garner in Netflix’s Yes Day. He was also recently seen in HBO’s critically acclaimed limited series, The Undoing. He will next star in Disney’s Jungle Cruise and Universal’s The 355.

Rafa Marquez Begins Coaching Career at Spain’s Real Sociedad Deportiva Alcala

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Rafa Marquez is grooming the next generation of soccer stars…

The 41-year-old Mexican former professional footballer, regarded as the best defender in Mexico’s history and one of the best Mexican players of all time, has begun his coaching career training youth at Spanish fourth division side Real Sociedad Deportiva Alcala.

Marquez, who’s nickname is El Káiser, retired in July 2018 after playing in his fifth World Cup and had a nine-month stint as Atlas‘ sporting president after that, but has now moved into the world of coaching.

“It’s a nice opportunity that I’m very grateful for,” said Marquez in quotes announced on the club’s website. “I’ve had a very warm welcome at the project, to which I feel very committed and to which I come in good spirits to help and offer all my experience as a player and now as a coach.”

Marquez, who holds a Spanish passport after his time with Barcelona, is currently studying in for his UEFA Pro license with the Spanish Football Federation as he transitions into being a head coach.

“The young players at Alcala will have the fortune to learn from a player who, after shining for his national team at the Copa America in Paraguay in 1999, left Atlas for European football, where he carried out practically all his successful sporting career,” read the club’s statement.

Marquez left Atlas last May after the club was bought out by Grupo Orlegi and became a fierce critic of the way the Mexican game is being run, slamming the suspension of promotion and relegation: between the top two divisions.

“Instead of moving forward each day, we are going backwards with these decisions and when it is run like this, with team owners’ interests [take priority], we won’t achieve anything on the sporting side,” he told ESPN in April.

Aguilera Records “We Remain” for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” Soundtrack

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Aguilera’s musical career us catching fire…

The 32-year-old half-Ecuadorian singer and The Voice coach will appear on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack.

Aguilera’s track, titled “We Remain,” joins the previously released piano ballad “Atlas,” written and performed by Coldplay, as well as The National‘s “Lean.”

Aguilera made the announcement via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, telling her more than 9.4 million followers the news: “Love the underlying message of @TheHungerGames. ‘We Remain’ is special new song, its message to my fans & how I connect w/ the movie, alike.”

Aguilera’s last album was 2012’s Lotus and she has been a featured artist on several songs, including Pitbull‘s “Feel This Moment,” released earlier this year.

After taking the fourth cycle of The Voice off, the singer returned to NBC‘s hit singing competition series on September 23.

In Catching Fire, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) adjust to life as Hunger Games victors, until they are thrown back into the arena for the 75th annual Games — the Quarter Quell.

Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson reprise their roles in the second film of the franchise.

Catching Fire hits theaters November 22.

A release date for the accompanying soundtrack, to be distributed by Lionsgate and Republic Records, has not been announced yet.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Atlas