‘Veneno,’ ‘La Mesias’ Creators Los Javis Link to ‘Colossal’ Director Nacho Vigalondo for Netflix Series ‘Superestar’

Fresh off the selection of “La Mesías” as the only European series at this year’s Sundance Festival, “Veneno” creators Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo – Los Javis – are set to produce Netflix original series “Superestar,” created by Spain’s Nacho Vigalondo, writer-director of 2016’s Anna Hathaway headed “Colossal,” Neon’s first pick-up for the U.S.

The six-episode series is directed by Vigalondo and Claudia Costafreda, co-creator of “Cardo,” an uninhibited portrait of Spain’s young generation eager for a quick fix of sex or drugs for want of a larger sense of direction in life, which was chosen by Variety, as “Veneno,” as one of the best international TV shows of the year.

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Set up at Los Javis’ Suma Content, their indie Madrid-based label,  “Superestar” is written by Vigalondo, María Bastarós, Paco Bezerra and Costafreda.

Oscar-nominated for his short, “7:35 in the Morning,” Vigalondo is best known for sci-fi comedies and thrillers such as, respectively,  2019 Netflix superhero series “The Neighbor” and his 2007 feature debut “Timecrimes.” “Superestar,” more in the line of “Veneno,” plumbs the unlikely but explosive breakout to social and sometimes gay icon status of Tamara, a disco pop singer adopted by late night chat show “Crónicas Marcianas.” 

“The reimagining of Tamarismo from the hearts of its protagonists,” a Netflix description runs, “Superestar” captures “a comet [which] crossed the sky of Spain destroying the laws of fame and success, disintegrating the frontier between the popular and underground. During a couple of years, front covers and primetime hours were conquered by famous figures who came from another dimension, creatures which until then seemed condemned to sarcasm and scorn,” Netflix announced on Thursday.

“There is nothing which we like more than pop culture and looking back to the story of our country,” said Javier Calvo. “If there was a wild time when anything was possible, that was the age of tamarismo, where the most unlikely icons took up hours and hours of television.”

Ambrossi argued that the most important thing about a real event-based series is its finding a point of view. “‘Superstar’ catches its viewpoint thanks to the brilliant and crazed mind of its creator, Nacho Vigalondo. This is a homage to a time in Spain which merits revisiting.”

“In ‘Superestar’  we have wanted to understand, humanize and respect a series of people who are normally treated badly, and to dive into fantasy, magic and madness which doesn’t look like anything seen before,” Vigalondo added.

News of a new series from Suma Content comes as “La Mesías,” a searing chronicle of the trauma unleashed by a repressive childhood from Movistar Plus+ and Suma Content and created, written, directed and produced by Los Javis, has topped multiple best-of-2023 TV show lists. It has been hailed by some critics in Spain as a masterpiece.

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