When it comes to Prime Video, the streaming service is known for hit series like The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, or Invincible. But in the last couple years there has been a changing tide where Prime Video has focused more on content for young adult audiences. That’s where the Argentinian author Mercedes Ron comes in.
Like we previously reported about Ron, she has over 86 million reads on Wattpad and her Culpables series is a worldwide phenomenon that has led to a franchise of films on Prime Video in the same vein as Anna Todd’s After series and Adriana Godoy’s A través de mi ventana series. And her Culpables series joins other iconic Prime Video YA titles like Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and We Were Liars By E. Lockhart.
The final film in the Culpables trilogy is launching this October 16th. And it brings the story of Noah (Nicole Wallace) and Nick (Gabriel Guevara) to a conclusion. But the history that it leaves behind and the records that it has broken are important to celebrate. The teaser trailer for the final film was the most watched trailer ever of any streaming film with more than 163 million views according to Deadline. On TikTok alone, Culpables related content has garnered an astounding 2.7 billion views. And the book trilogy has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
Keeping that all in mind, when we say that Mercedes Ron is changing the world of YA, it isn’t just because of the Culpables series. It’s because of the House of Ron. While in Ibiza for a Prime Video Originals retreat, the streaming service announced that the Argentinian author would have an established 10 book-to-screen adaptations with Prime Video, making her one of the loudest voices when it comes to YA content on our screens.
Those 10 films will be: Culpa Mia; Culpa Tuya; Culpa Nuestra; My Fault: London; Your Fault: London; Our Fault: London; Dimelo Bajito; Dimelo en Secreto; Marfil (Enfrentados); Ebano (Enfrentados). So far Culpa Mia and Culpa Tuya have been released alongside My Fault: London. And the English language sequel is filming while Dimelo en Secreto is starting production while Dimelo Bajito is set for a December release.
Becoming a powerhouse at Prime Video isn’t simply due to Ron’s content library. It’s also due to audiences hunger for YA content. You never forget your first love. And if you did, you still remember that feeling of the exhilaration of your first crush, your first kiss, or the first time you held hands with someone. With YA content, there’s an opportunity to experience those feelings for the first time through a safe medium. But it’s also a space for people that are no longer teenagers or in their early 20’s, an opportunity to relive those feelings.
For Ron, who spoke with Remezcla at the Prime Video Originals retreat, YA content like Culpables is so popular because it’s a safe space. “I think it’s a safe place where you can disconnect and watch something enjoyable. And in the end, a romantic story will always have something that moves us all, in literature, in cinema, everywhere. And in the end it’s like a guilty pleasure to sit on the couch and watch a good movie that makes you laugh, that lets you have a good time, and that you can share with friends.”
She also thinks that watching YA, whether you’re young or way past your 20s, is forming a community in itself. That’s what leads to such dedicated fans like the ones passionately arguing over whether Belly should end up with Conrad or Jeremiah on The Summer I Turned Pretty. “When you’re young, you need to be part of something and share it with people your age. And I think it’s incredible that now that love for reading is being shared. And I’m super happy that adaptations accompany the books and that they like them so much.”
As for the House of Ron, that’s something that started as a joke at Prime Video. “The House of Ron, well it started as a joke in Los Angeles. We were doing a promo there for Dimelo Bajito a few months ago and they started calling it “House of Ron.” And at the end, the House of Ron has transformed into a reality. And it makes sense because at the end there’s going to be 10 adaptations of my novels. It’s a way to group everything under the same name. And I’m delighted. It’s super cool. And I love the logo.”
And for Mercedes Ron, a Latina at the top of her game when it comes to book, adaptations, and her work on Prime Video, she’s holding space for other Latina authors. She might be one of the first Latinas to get a deal like this with a major streaming service. But she won’t be the last. “They will come. There’s a lot of talent out there and there are a lot of great authors who will surely have a lot of desire to embark on this adventure of adaptations. Because not all authors want to, that’s true. But there’s a lot of desire for romantic movies and these kinds of stories. So many more will come.”
Until then, there’s plenty of YA content to check out on Prime Video; including the adaptation of another international title, Maxton Hall. Like Culpables, it’s got romance and drama but this time it’s set at a fancy academy. And lucky for fans, Season 2 is about to drop on November 7th.
Travel and accommodations were provided to the author by Prime Video.
