James R | On 05, Sep 2020

Amazon has cancelled its planned Cortés epic in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The show, which was announced last year, was set to star Javier Bardem as Hernan Cortes, the explorer who overthrew the Aztec empire for the Spanish. The four-part saga was written by Academy Award-winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) and based on the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday), with Bardem and Steven Spielberg exec-producing, alongside Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna.

Deadline reported it as “the largest Spanish-language production of all time”, with Ciro Guerra (Waiting for the Barbarians) and Cristina Gallego (Birds of Passage, Embrace of the Serpent) helming the four-episode chronicle of the conquerer’s expedition to the heart of King Montezuma II’s Aztec empire.

Now, though, Deadline reveals that the project is no longer going forward. Two weeks of filming had been completed in Mexico when the pandemic caused the production to be shut down. With all the costs involved with such star talent and production scale, not to mention the shutdown costs and holding expenses, the money needed to restart the whole endeavour – with coronavirus safety measures bumping the budget up by a reported 10 per cent – Amazon has decided it can’t stretch to cover the bill.

“Due to the production constraints created by the COVID-19 global pandemic, Amazon Studios and Amblin Partners are unable to move forward with production on our Cortés y Moctezuma series,” the two companies said in a statement. “In the current climate, there is unfortunately no way to remount the production in the near future to achieve the scale and scope that was intended and that the series deserves. We have nothing but admiration and respect for Javier, Tenoch, Yoshira, Gael, Diego, Steve Zaillian, and the entire cast and crew of the series and hope we can work together again in the future.”

The footage captured so far was shot out of sequence, with no way to turn it into a film or a special. Deadline reports that Amblin may attempt to revive the idea in the future.

Part of Amazon’s plan for the show was also a commitment to restoring the land used for sets and other production activities. This commitment remains in place.

The cancellation follows a similar decision by Netflix not to renew The Society and I Am Not Okay with This.
 

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna board Amazon’s Cortes series

7th October 2019

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna have boarded Amazon Studios’ new Cortes series.

The epic project, which was announced earlier this year, stars Javier Bardem as Hernan Cortes, the explorer who overthrew the Aztec empire for the Spanish.

The four-part saga is written by Academy Award-winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) and based on the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday). It is produced by Amblin Television, with Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer, alongside Bardem, Darryl Frank (The Americans) and Justin Falvey (The Americans). Now, Bernal and Luna have added their clout to the talent behind the camera: they will not be starring alongside Bardem but exec-producing too.

Cortes reveals the legendary conqueror, Hernan Cortes, who led a rebellious expedition to the heart of King Montezuma II’s Aztec empire, connecting two civilizations for the first time and changing the course of history.

If that sounds ambitious, things are certainly shaping up that way, with Deadline describing it as “the largest Spanish-language production of all time”.

Ciro Guerra (Waiting for the Barbarians) and Cristina Gallego (Birds of Passage, Embrace of the Serpent) will direct all four episodes, with a team that includes Pan’s Labyrinth production designer Eugenio Caballero, Spectre costume designer Anna Terrazas and Chicuarotes casting director Luis Rosales.

 

Javier Bardem to star in Amazon Cortes series

27th March 2019

Amazon is going Aztec for its new original series, Cortes, starring Javier Bardem.

The Skyfall and No Country for Old Men actor will play Hernan Cortes, the explorer who overthrew the Aztec empire for the Spanish, in a new four-part saga.

Amazon Studios has greenlit a straight-to-series order for the project, which is written by Academy Award-winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) and based on the screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday). It is produced by Amblin Television, with Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer, alongside Bardem, Darryl Frank (The Americans) and Justin Falvey (The Americans).

Cortes reveals the legendary conqueror, Hernan Cortes, who led a rebellious expedition to the heart of King Montezuma II’s Aztec empire, connecting two civilizations for the first time and changing the course of history.

“Cortes’ epic discoveries shaped the world as we know it today, and through the minds of Amblin, Steven Spielberg, Steve Zaillian and Javier Bardem, we will bring Prime Video members on an exhilarating journey,” says Sharon Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios. “There are few moments in history that shape an entire culture such as Cortes’ story, and this series will be one filled with drama and adventure.”

“We are so pleased that Amazon has given us the opportunity to bring this exciting 500-year-old story to Prime Video members worldwide. It is a part of history that had such a significant impact and largely influenced modern day civilizations. With Javier as Cortes, we have the perfect star for this role, and we can’t wait to get started,” add Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, co-heads of Amblin Television.

“It is a privilege to tell this epic story – one that is full of drama and conflict within this huge, historical spectacle where two distant civilizations clash at the height of their reign,” comments Bardem. “The best and worst of human nature came to life in all its light and darkness. As an actor, there is no better challenge than to serve such a unique project that I have been passionate about for years, and I am thrilled to be working with this dream team of Steven Spielberg, Steven Zaillian and Amazon.”

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