Michael Cuesta to Direct Pilot Episode of Marvel Studios’ “Daredevil: Born Again”

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is born again…

The 59-year-old Latino director, who helmed the pilots for shows like Dexter and Homeland, will direct the first episode of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again.

Production on the 18-episode Disney+ series begins this month in New York and marks the true integration of characters that began life on Netflix, when the streamer had a slate of Marvel series in the mid-2010s, into the popular and dominant Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Charlie Cox, who starred as Matt Murdoch, aka Daredevil, the man without fear, is reprising his role for the series after making brief and teasing cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Vincent D’Onofrio is back as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime — his first appearance in the MCU was a cameo in Hawkeye — and Jon Bernthal is returning as the hard-edged vigilante known as the Punisher.

Other actors on the call sheet include Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt, the latter of whom is playing Vanessa Fisk, the wife of Fisk. Michael Gaston (Chicago P.D., Mayor of Kingstown) is also in the series.

Born Again takes its title from a landmark Daredevil storyline published in 1986, written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzuchelli. The show is deviating from that plot, although by how much is unclear. The Punisher, for example, made no appearance in the comic story. Daredevil versus Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, remains the focal point.

Writers and executive producers Matt Corman and Chris Ord are behind the show, which is expected to bow in the spring of 2024. Cuesta is only directing the opening episode, according to sources. Other directors are being lined up to helm blocks of episodes.

Cuesta is one of the top helmers in the pilot game. In addition to directing the pilots for Dexter and Homeland, both acclaimed gritty dramas and for which he earned an Emmy nomination on the latter, he also directed the pilots for police show Blue Blood and procedural Sherlock Holmes mystery show Elementary.

Directing a pilot is an important task as it normally sets the casting, tone, and look of a series and is seen as a test for a show’s promise as well as a chance to put its best foot forward. And while in the streaming age many shows tend to be given straight-up series orders, helming the first episode remains equally as important.

Other recent series work for Cuesta includes episodes of Dopesick and Billions, and he also directed the action thriller American Assassin, which starred Dylan O’Brien and Michael Keaton.

Yul Vazquez to Appear on ABC’s Latinx Family Drama “Promised Land”

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez is promised some upcoming screen time on television…

The 56-year-old Cuban actor and musician has joined the cast of ABC’s upcoming Latinx family drama Promised Land, starring John Ortiz and Christina Ochoa.

Vazquez joins a roster of new cast additions that includes Julio Macias, Ariana Guerra, Kerri Medders, Tom Amandes, Natalia del Riego and Miguel Angel Garcia in heavily recurring roles.

Created and written by Matt Lopez and directed by Michael Cuesta, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

In addition to Ortiz and Ochoa, cast also includes Bellamy Young, Cecilia Suárez, Augusto Aguilera, Mariel Molino, Tonatiuh, Andres Velez, Katya Martín and Rolando Chusan.

Vazquez plays Father Ramos. A Catholic priest, Father Ramos has compassion and good humor tinged with a certain world-weariness. Apparently just another man of God, he knows quite a few secrets about the Sandoval family.

Garcia portrays Junior, the youngest child of the Sandoval family, and the most erratic. His siblings think he can be trusted with little or nothing, but his father Joe, the family patriarch, still holds out hope and a special affection for his troubled son.

Amandes is O.M. Honeycroft. An intimidating, all-powerful presence, he’s a successful businessman who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty — after all, it’s the soil and its fruit that made him rich.

Guerra plays Rosa. Fueled by dreams of becoming a nurse in her new home of California, she doesn’t give up on her dreams even as her circumstances become increasingly grim.

Medders plays Young Margaret, the ambitious, beautiful daughter of O.M. Honeycroft, the wealthy owner of the Honeycroft Estate.

Del Riego portrays Daniela, a new employee at the home of the Sandoval family, and an undocumented immigrant.

Macias plays Javier, the newly hired General Manager at the Heritage House Vineyard, son of the vineyard’s now-retired foreman.

ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, is the studio.

ABC Gives Series Order to John Ortiz’s Drama “Promised Land”

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

John Ortiz is headed to the Promised Land…

ABC has picked up drama series Promised Land, starring the 53-year-old Puerto Rican actor’s for the 2021-22 season.

In addition to Ortiz, the Latinx family drama also stars Christina Ochoa.

Written by Matt Lopez and directed by Michael Cuesta, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Ortiz stars as Joe Sandoval, the patriarch of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley.

Ochoa portrays Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals.

The cast also includes Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, Tonatiuh as Antonio Sandoval, Andres Velez as Carlos, Katya Martín as Juana and Rolando Chusan as Billy.

Lopez executive produces with Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group, along with Maggie Malina and Cuesta. ABC Signature is the studio.

Promised Land is the second drama pilot picked up to series at ABC this cycle, joining music-themed drama Queens, headlined by Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton, Nadine Velazquez and Pepi Sonuga.

Tonatiuh to Star in ABC’s Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tonatiuh has landed a promising new role…

The 28-year-old Latino actor, whose real name Tonatiuh Elizarraraz, has been cast as a lead opposite John Ortiz in ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land.

Tonatiuh will play Antonio Sandoval, one of five children of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning clan in the Sonoma Valley. Antonio has been living in New York after being cast into exile by his father Joe (Ortiz), but is called back into the fold when the family faces a threat from the outside. Whether Antonio has forgiven or forgotten the treatment he received from his family remains an open question.

In addition to Ortiz, Tonatiuh joins previously announced series regulars Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard and stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Lopez executive produces with Cuesta and Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

Tonatiuh is best known for his major recurring role as Marcos on all three seasons of Starz’s Vida. He stars in the indie feature Drunk Bus, alongside Charlie Tahan and Kara Hayward, which premiered virtually at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. He’s also set to recur in Peacock’s Angelyne alongside Emmy Rossum, who plays the title character.

Michael Cuesta to Direct ABC’s Latinx-Themed Drama Pilot “Promised Land”

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta has landed a promising project…

The 57-year-old Latino film and television director has been tapped to direct and executive produce ABC’s drama pilot Promised Land..

Written by Matt Lopez, Promised Land is an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

The cast includes John Ortiz as Joe Sandoval, patriarch of the Sandoval family, Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard and stepson to patriarch Joe Sandoval, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, as well as Andres Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.

Lopez executive produces with Cuesta and Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group. ABC Signature is the studio.

Cuesta also is one of the directors, working with Barry Levinson, on Dopesick, Hulu’s upcoming eight-episode limited series written by Danny Strong, based on Beth Macy’s bestselling book, from The Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield and Touchstone Television.

He most recently served as executive producer and director, including on the pilot episode, of Homeland, which recently wrapped its eighth and final season on Showtime.

In addition to Homeland, Cuesta directed the pilots for Dexter, Blue Bloods and City on a Hill. His episodic directing credits include Elementary, True Blood and Billions, among others.

Cuesta to Direct Fox’s Sci-Fi Drama Pilot “Frankenstein”

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is a Frank man…

The 51-year-old film and television director is set to helm the Fox drama pilot Frankenstein.

Written and executive produced by Crisis and Life creator Rand Ravich and executive produced by Homeland and Tyrant executive producer Howard Gordon, the project is described as a grounded sci-fi drama that takes inspiration from the basic Mary Shelley mythology of a man brought back to life by scientists playing god.

Frankenstein centers on Ray Pritchard, a morally corrupt retired cop who is given a second chance at life when he is brought back from the dead. Now younger and stronger, Pritchard will have to choose between his old temptations and his new sense of purpose.

This marks a reunion for Gordon and Cuesta, who also directed the pilot for Homeland and served as an executive producer on the Showtime drama’s first two seasons.

20th Century Fox Television and Gordon’s studio-based Teakwood Lane Prods. produce.

For Cuesta, the gig stems from his overall deal at 20th Century Fox Television. His pilot directing credits also include Dexter, Blue Bloods and Elementary. On the genre side, Cuesta helmed the two incarnations of the zombie drama pilot Babylon Fields.

Cuesta to Direct the Drama “Code Name Veil”

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is ready to break the code…

The 51-year-old Latino film and television director will direct the drama Code Name Veil.

The Matt Billingsly-scripted film is inspired by true events. It follows a rookie CIA agent who investigates the first terrorist attacks against America—the Embassy and Marine barracks bombings in Beirut in 1983. When his station chief and mentor is taken hostage, he must resort to desperate measures, unwittingly becoming part of the scandal that would become known as Iran-Contra. That subject played into Kill The Messenger, about how a newspaper journalist was smeared for reporting on the CIA’s role in the infiltration of crack cocaine into the U.S.

Cuesta most recently directed the Jeremy Renner-scripted Kill the Messenger. He also directed the pilot of Showtime’s Homeland and serves as the series’ executive producer.

Trailer Released for the Cuesta-Directed “Kill the Messenger,” Starring Jeremy Renner

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Michael Cuesta is ready to kill the messenger…

The first trailer for Jeremy Renner‘s Kill the Messenger, helmed by the 50-year-old television and film director, borrows the visual style, tone and ripped-from-the-headlines subject material of American Hustle.

Kill the Messenger is a dramatization of journalist Gary Webb‘s investigation into a CIA conspiracy in Nicaragua that led to a series of articles titled Dark Alliance for The San Jose Mercury News that caused a firestorm of controversy.

“Despite warnings from drug kingpins and CIA operatives to stop his investigation, Webb keeps digging to uncover a conspiracy with explosive implications,” the film’s synopsis reads.

The cast also features Paz Vega, Rosemarie DeWitt and Ray Liotta

The Focus Features biopic was written by Parkland scribe Peter Landesman based on Nick Schou‘s book Kill the Messenger: How the CIA’s Crack-Cocaine Controversy Destroyed Journalist Gary Webb.

The film is set for U.S. release in October.

Good to Star in NBC’s Drama Pilot “Babylon Fields”

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Death becomes Meagan Good…

The 32-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress, who appears in the recently released first trailer for Think Like a Man Too, has landed a role in NBC’s drama pilot Babylon Fields.

From Michael Cuesta, Gerald Cuesta and Michael Atkinson, the project was originally developed and piloted at CBS seven years ago,

It centers on a town where residents come back from the dead.

Good, who starred inn NBC’s Deception, will portray Janine Beltran, a local doctor with an edge to her.

She most recently appeared on the big screen in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

Trailer Released for Vazquez’s New Film with Tom Hanks “Captain Phillips”

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez will soon be hitting the high seas with Tom Hanks…

The Cuban American actor, who currently appears on Starz’s Magic City, is starring as Captain Frank Castellano in the Hanks-headlined film Captain Phillips, which has been named the opening-night film at the prestigious New York Film Festival next month.

Directed by Paul Greengrass, the Sony Pictures film tells the true story of Captain Richard Phillips (portrayed by Hanks) and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama.

Phillips was eventually rescued in a dangerous mission by a Navy SEAL team.

Along with Hanks and Vazquez, the film also stars Catherine Keener, Max Martini, Michael Chernus, Chris Mulkey, John Magaro and Angus MacInnes.

Captain Phillips is set to hit theaters on October 11.

Vazquez’s other upcoming projects include Runner Runner with Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake, Blood Ties with Mila Kunis, Clive Owen and Marion Cotillard and Kill The Messenger directed by Michael Cuesta opposite Jeremy Renner.

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