Paramount Plus Unveils Star-Laden Slate of First Originals for Latin America (EXCLUSIVE)

The first slate of Paramount Plus Originals for Latin America will feature new series from “The Hateful Eight’s” Demián Bichir,  “Luis Miguel” lead Diego Boneta, and Brazilian online phenom Porta Dos Fundos.

Paramount Plus and ViacomCBS International Studios on Thursday also confirmed that their new slate of premium original content is set to premiere in Latin America, including Brazil, from early as third quarter 2021.

Expanding the streaming service’s vast global content lineup, the slate is produced by ViacomCBS’s global studio VIS, rolling off partnerships with a growing bevy of world-renowned content creators and producers.

Bichir, whose acting credits take in “Land,” “The Midnight Sky,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “The Hateful Eight,” and “A Better Life,” will star, executive produce and direct “JG Ballard Adaptation” –  a working title. It is written by novelist Juan Villoro and produced by Frida Torresblanco, an Academy Award winner for “Pan’s Labyrinth.” The limited series is inspired by J.G. Ballard’s “The Air Disaster.”

Breaking out to acclaim for his performance in “Luis Miguel,” one of Netflix’s biggest Spanish-language hits, Boneta will headline “At Midnight.” Powerful co-producers include Dave Bernon, Automatik – which is owned by Brian Kavanaugh Jones and “La La Land” producer Fred Berger – celebrated Mexican director Michel Franco (“New Order”) at Teorema and talent agency Colourscmx.

Brazil’s Porta dos Fundos will produce Paramount Plus Original “The Followers,” a dark comedy thriller starring Maria Bopp and Raissa Chaddad.

Framing another potential Paramount Plus Original standout, action-comedy movie “The Outlaws” marks the return, as its creator and director, of Brazilian comedy king Guel Arraes (“A Grande Família,” “O Auto da Compadecida”).

These newly announced productions join a first Paramount Plus Originals slate for Latin America which includes announced and sometimes even seen titles, such as Isabel Coixet’s “It Snows in Benidorm,” produced by Pedro Almodóvar’s El Deseo production company and VIS. The news here is that it plays on Paramount Plus.

As previously announced, Daniel Burman’s “Cecilia,” an upscale family dramedy starring María Treviño, and “The Envoys,” from Juan José Campanella, headlining Miguel Angel Sylvestre and Luis Gerardo Méndez, also form part of the Paramount Plus Originals slate for Latin America.

Balancing upscale series and films from award-winning creators and producers and broader fare, including a strong line in biopic and star vehicle series, all the first Paramount Plus titles are produced by VIS, ViacomCBS’ Miami-based global studios.

That’s just one sign of VIS’s extraordinary talent-driven expansion into becoming one of the foremost production forces in the Spanish-language world in the space of just three years since its launch in 2018.

“Our primary focus is to bring together the greatest storytellers from around the globe to create locally relevant stories that resonate with our Paramount Plus subscribers,” said J.C. Acosta, president of ViacomCBS International Studios and Networks Americas. “We’re honored to partner with the premiere, globally renowned content creators and voices to add even more value to our incredible Paramount Plus offering,” he added.

Here’s a drill-down on Paramount Plus Originals for Latin America:

“JG Ballard Adaptation” Revolving around a love story between Ted, a Mexican American journalist, and Alice, a war correspondent, the greenlit limited series is adapted by novelist Juan Villoro. Teaming the CAA repped Bichir and producer Torresblanco, it “reveals the reality of the violence and danger journalists encounter while covering the drug trafficking war between Mexico and the U.S.,” Paramount Plus and VIS announced.

“At Midnight” Starring Diego Boneta and written by “Just Before I Go” scribe Giovanni Porta, a romantic comedy about two people who have made safe choices in life…until they meet. Lead produced by Boneta’s label Tres Amigos.

“The Greatest Wave” Another Boneta title, a biopic series with the “Luis Miguel” lead portraying the life odyssey of Carlos “Cuco” Nogales from Mexican streetkid to one of the world’s greatest big wave surfers.

“The Followers” Penned by in-house Porta Dos Fundos scribe Manuela Cantuária, the darkly ironic tale of an online influencer, Liv, who discovers by accident her flair for murder. A serial killer is born.

“Rio Shore” A Rio de Janeiro-set continuation of the hit MTV global format of “Jersey Shore” and “Acapulco Shore.” Here, it follows the lives of eight housemates at a vacation home.

“The Outlaws” Directed by Brazil’s Ana Luiza Azevedo, who won an Intl. Emmy Award for “Doce de Mae,” an action comedy about a group of small-time criminals who attempt to outrun the law on their motorcycles.

“It Snows in Benidorm” Equal parts thriller and second-chance in love drama, produced by VIS and the Almodóvar brothers’ El Deseo, and the latest feature from Spain’s Isabel Coixet (“The Secret Life of Words”).

“The Envoys” Already announced as a Paramount Plus original, a banner VIS eight-part series with Sylvestre and Méndez playing priests dispatched by the Vatican to Mexico to verify the alleged miracle healing in a psychiatric ward. Shooting from April.

“Parot” Spain’s RTVE teams with VIS in collaboration with Onza on this procedural set around the overturn of Spain’s Parot Doctrine, which saw almost 100 long-term prisoners set free in 2006 when sentencing limits were brought in line with the rest of the E.U.

“Cecilia” Daniel Burman’s Oficina Burman, part of The Mediapro Studio, created this dramedy starring Mariana Treviño as a woman who must rebuild her life and keep her family together after suffering a stroke.

“Jellyfish” In this investigative drama, four friends get away for a luxurious resort weekend-turned-nightmare after one of the group is found stabbed to death on the beach. When the police become involved, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something.

“Guest of Honor” Argentine TV host, actress, model,  businesswoman and social legend Susana Giménez visits her famous friends for food and conversation.

“Dr. Ballí” A docuseries about Alfredo Balló, the murderous real-life doctor who inspired Anthony Hopkins’ “Silence of the Lambs” character Hannibal Lecter.

“Adriano the Emperor” Brazil has no shortage of soccer superstars, but one of its favorites is Adriano the Emperor, the subject of this docuseries about a player who turned down millions to stay among those he considered “his people.”

“The First of Us” Not a prequel to HBO’s upcoming video game adaptation, but rather an upcoming Telefe primetime dramedy with a strong ensemble cast featuring Benjamín Vicuña, Paola Krum, Luciano Castro, Jorgelina Aruzzi, Damián de Santo, and Mercedes Funes.

“When You Least Expect It” Written by Cristóbal Garrido and Adolfo Valor and produced by VIS in collaboration with Zeta Studios, this group therapy drama turns on four strangers who collectively work to overcome their grief.

“Made the Old-Fashioned Way” Paramount Plus has the exclusive broadcast rights to this Guatemalan concert from multi-platinum recording artist Ricardo Arjona.

“Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva” One of the world’s most famous fighters, Silva is the focus of this scripted docuseries tracking his rise from the streets of São Paulo and Curitiba to an unprecedented seven-year unbeaten run in UFC.

“Being Pampita” Renowned Argentinian TV host and model Carolina “Pampita” Ardohain invites viewers into her life in this 10-part docuseries.

“Marly & Mirko” Spinning the traditional famous person’s life story docuseries format, this program focuses instead on the single parent-child relationship of TV hosts Alejandro “Marley” Wiebe and his son Mirko.

“Hands Off Chef” Argentine “Masterchef” chefs Germán Martitegui, Donato De Santis and Damián Betular will go head-to-head but not mano-a-mano as instead of cooking, they must instruct others on how to make their signature dishes.