The most popular Mexican traditional game of cards is the base for a new family film by Eugenio Derbez. The Instructions Not Included actor is producing and starring Loteria, a Netflix action-adventure feature inspired by the colorful deck of cards that is synonymous with Mexican culture on both sides of the border.
In Loteria, Derbez plays a recently widowed father who wants to bond with his kids using an old family deck of Lotería Don Clemente cards. But the game turns out to be magical. The cards come to life whisking the family on a globe-trotting journey to uncover the secrets of the deck and keep it from falling into the hands of a mysterious business magnate with devious plans.
“¡Lotería!” posted Derbez on his Facebook page, just as people exclaim when they win a round of the game. He added, “We’ll have a new movie on Netflix.”
The feature will be directed by Emmy Award nominee James Bobin (Dora and the Lost City of Gold, The Muppets) with a script by Roberto Orci (Transformers, Mission Impossible III) and J.R. Orci (The Blacklist, Fringe) which is based on a story by Roberto Orci and Adele Heather Taylor.
The feature will be produced by Derbez and Ben Odell’s 3Pas Studios in association with Primetime Emmy nominees Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.
Odell and Derbez just wrapped the rom-com The Valet for Lionsgate starring Derbez. They recently released the second season of the docu-comedy De Viaje con los Derbez, which is reportedly the most-watched series in Amazon’s history.
The movie reunites 3Pas with the Tannenbaums who executive produced the series Acapulco for Apple also starring Derbez. The wife-and-husband producing duo also executive produced the successful series Home Economics for ABC’s, The Last O.G. for TBS and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist for NBC. They have earned three Primetime Emmy nods for the CBS series Two and a Half Men.
Said to have originated in Italy in the 15th century, Loteria made it to Mexico and Latin America via the Spanish conquest. Today’s iconic game cards are from Lotería Don Clemente, which were created and popularized by French businessman Don Clemente Jaques in 1887. It is reportedly the number one selling board and activity game in Mexico.
