Remember when we were told Narcos would be moving to Mexico for its upcoming fourth season and we even got a teaser for it featuring some mariachis? Well, turns out that was only partly true. Looks like when it returns later this year, the drug trafficking series — which had focused on Pablo Escobar and then the Cali cartel in its first three seasons — will indeed leave Colombia behind but more importantly, it will be billed as a brand new Netflix original series: Narcos: Mexico.
Starring Diego Luna and Michael Peña, Narcos: Mexico will do for the Guadalajara Cartel what the first few seasons of Narcos did for Escobar’s drug empire. Set in the 1980s, we’ll get to see Félix Gallardo (Luna) take the reins of a disorganized confederation of independent growers and dealers as he creates his own drug trafficking network, the Guadalajara Cartel. Taking over the DEA side of the show’s story is Peña’s Kiki Camarena. The undercover agent moves his wife and young son from California to Guadalajara to take an assignment that’s much deadlier than he could’ve ever imagined. The rivalry between the two men will drive the show’s central drama, tracking how the events during those early years affected the drug trade and the war on drugs for decades to come.
Joining Peña and Luna is a stellar cast of Mexican talent that’s sure to add a level of authenticity Wagner Moura’s paisa accent never did give us. There’s Alejandro Edda, following his stints on two other drug war-related projects (American Made and Cocaine Godmother), with his portrayal of Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman. There’s Hazlo como hombre‘s Alfonso Dosal and Mi corazón es tuyo’s Manuel Masalva as the Arellano Felix brothers, the leaders of the Tijuana Cartel. Add in Sin Nombre‘s Guillermo Villegas, Quantum of Solace‘s Joaquín Cosío and even Narcos regular José María Yazpik, and you have an enviable homegrown ensemble. And if that feels a bit testosterone-heavy for you, know that Cali-born Alyssa Diaz (playing Peña’s wife) is joined by Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola and Oaxaca native Teresa Ruiz (who’ll be seen opposite Gael García Bernal in Aqui en la tierra).
Narcos: Mexico will premiere globally on Netflix in 2018.