Netflix Orders Reggaeton-Themed Comedy Series “Neon,” Starring Tyler Dean Flores

Tyler Dean Flores is bringing a little reggaeton to Netflix

Netflix has given a series order to Neon, a comedy series starring the Puerto Rican actor.

Tyler Dean FloresThe project is set in the world of the musical genre that birthed the song “Despacito,” the second-most-viewed video ever on YouTube.

Flores, Emma FerreiraJordan Mendoza and Courtney Taylor star in the series, which hails from creator Shea Serrano with Max Searle set as showrunner.

Serrano, the author of The Rap Year Book, is behind Amazon Freevee series Primo with Mike Schur and Searle is co-showrunner of the second season of Chad and co-exec producer of Dave.

The eight-part series focuses on three friends who move from a small town in Florida to Miami with the hopes of making it big in the world of reggaeton. The show chronicles not only their larger than life dreams but the harsh comic realities of attempting to make it in the music industry.

Flores (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) plays Santi, a budding reggaeton artist who, with the help of his friends, Ness, played by (Ferreira) and Felix, (Mendoza) and A&R rep, Mia (Taylor) hopes to become the biggest reggaeton star in the world. Or at least make rent.

The series is executive produced by Serrano and Searle. It comes from Scooter Braun’s SB Projects with Braun executive-producing alongside Scott Manson and James Shin. Kyle Vinuya is co-executive producer. Mendoza also serves as consulting producer.

Flores’ previous credits include The Dark Knight Rises, When They See Us and Chicago Fire.

Amazon Studios Acquires Rights to Carbonell’s “Crown Heights”

Nestor Carbonell’s latest project is reaching new heights…

Amazon Studios has picked up worldwide rights to the prison drama Crown Heights, starring the 49-year-old Cuban/Spanish American actor, for $2 million-plus, according to Variety.

Nestor Carbonell

The film, which premiered to strong reviews on Monday as part of the Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition, stars Lakeith Stanfield as a real-life Brooklyn man wrongfully convicted of murder. His only hope at freedom is his friend (played by former NFL cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha), who fights for more than 20 years to reverse the verdict. Carbonell portrays Bruce Regenstreich. The film also stars Yul Vasquez as Commissioner Rafello.

Matt Ruskin directed and wrote the film, which was shot in New York and will receive a theatrical release.

Carbonell’s previous film credits include The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight and For Greater Glory.

Bardem Earns Saturn Award Nomination…

He may not have earned an Academy Award nomination this year, but Javier Bardem is still having an out of this world awards season…

The 43-year-old Spanish actor has received a Saturn Award nomination from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for his critically acclaimed role in the latest installment of the James Bond franchise, Skyfall.

Javier Bardem

The awards, in their 39th year, celebrate the best genre films, television shows and home entertainment.

Bardem, whose performance has earned recognition from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the London Film Critics’ Circle, has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category. He’s up against PrometheusMichael Fassbender, The AvengersClark Gregg, The Dark Knight RisesJoseph Gordon-Levitt, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’s Ian McKellen and Django Unchained’s Christoph Waltz.

Meanwhile, Oscar-nominee Paco Delgado is nominated in the Best Costume category for his work on Tom Hooper‘s film adaptation of the Broadway musical Les Misérables.

The Saturn Awards will be presented in June, though the ceremony’s exact date and location have yet to be announced.

Peña Featured in Latest “Gangster Squad” Trailer

Michael Peña could have another blockbuster on his hands…

The 36-year-old Mexican American actor appears in the just released trailer for his latest drama Gangster Squad

Gangster Squad Poster

Immediately after the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, Warner Bros. pulled the original trailer, which featured a scene of gangsters rushing into a theater and gunning down moviegoers.

The original trailer was run prior to showing of The Dark Knight Rises, which was screening in the auditorium where the Colorado tragedy took place.

Warner Bros. even pushed back the film’s release from September 7 to January 11 to put some distance between the theater tragedy and Gangster Squad’s opening, as well as allow Warner Bros to cut the offending scene and film a new version in a different setting.