Álex de la Iglesia-Produced Dark Comedy ‘The Mortimers’ Acquired by Filmax (EXCLUSIVE)

by

Telecinco Cinema and Álex de la Iglesia’s Pokeepsie Films have sold international distribution rights for their upcoming family-friendly comedy-adventure “The Mortimers” to Filmax. This movie, filled with mystery, suspense, and dark wit, follows a group of five teenagers as they stumble upon a burglary scheme connected to a graveyard.

The Mortimers,” creatively named ‘Los Muertimer’ in Spanish, is based on “Les Croques,” a top-selling French comic trilogy penned by illustrator Léa Mazé. In 2018, she was honored with the Prize for Best Children’s Comic from France’s Association of Journalists and Critics of the Comic Book.

The story revolves around Nico, a 15-year-old outcast who’s often picked on at school because of his family’s funeral business. Through a student exchange program, he crosses paths with Gabi, a defiant French girl known for her rebellious nature. Their unexpected friendship sets them off on an intriguing adventure when they stumble upon a concealed corpse and pilfered jewels, leading them and three of Nico’s bullies into a mysterious investigation.

The movie, helmed by director Álvaro Fernández-Armero (“A Moroccan Affair,” “If I Were Rich”), boasts a talented ensemble cast including Víctor Clavijo (“The Wait”), Alexandra Jiménez (“100 Meters”), Fele Martínez (“Darkness”), Belén Rueda (“The Orphanage”), as well as emerging stars like Diego Montejo and Iratxe Emparan.

Ghislain Barrois, CEO of Telecinco Cinema, expressed his excitement to collaborate once more with Álex de la Iglesia and his crew, this time on a project reminiscent of ’80s and ’90s family adventure films. The movie promises an intriguing blend of mystery, action, and adventure suitable for everyone. Directed by Alvaro Fernández-Armero, who has delivered numerous box-office successes with us in the past, ‘The Mortimers’ is a thrilling adventure that the entire family can enjoy. We at Telecinco Cinema are incredibly pleased with how this production has shaped up.

Carolina Bang and Álex de la Iglesia, heads at Pokeepsie Films, were equally enthusiastic, “We’re thrilled due to the faith shown by Telecinco Cinema and Álvaro Fernández-Armero’s skills. We’ve been able to transform ‘Les Croques’ adaptation into a tangible project for the first time at Pokeepsie Films. This is not just a film we’re eager about, but one that we can watch with our kids too. It marks our initial stride towards creating movies that cater to all ages.”

Or, in a slightly different version:

Carolina Bang and Álex de la Iglesia, as CEOs at Pokeepsie Films, were equally excited, “Thanks to the trust placed by Telecinco Cinema and Álvaro Fernández-Armero’s talent, we’ve succeeded in turning the challenge of adapting ‘Les Croques’ into a reality. For the first time at Pokeepsie Films, we’re producing a film that excites us personally, and one that we can share with our children as well. This is our initial step towards creating movies that are suitable for all ages.

ivan diaz, head of international at Filmax, stated, “The gothic-comedy genre has brought us significant successes in the past, like ‘The Addams Family,’ ‘Beetlejuice,’ and most recently, ‘Wednesday.’ This movie intends to carry on refreshing this much-adored genre, appreciated not only by audiences but also by filmmakers such as Álex de la Iglesia, a renowned figure in the realm of Spanish black comedy.

The Mortimers” movie is scheduled to debut in Spain on August 14, with distribution handled by Paramount. An initial sneak peek of the film will be unveiled at the Marché du Film event in Cannes.

Read More

2025-05-17 12:48