Filmax has acquired international rights to “The Mortimers,” a new family-friendly comedy-adventure from Telecinco Cinema and Álex de la Iglesia’s Pokeepsie Films. Combining mystery, terror and dark humor, the film tells the story of five teenagers who uncover a jewel theft plot in a cemetery.
“The Mortimers,” cleverly titled ‘Los Muertimer’ in Spanish, is adapted from “Les Croques,” a best-selling French comic trilogy by illustrator Léa Mazé, who was awarded the Prize for Best Children’s Comic by France’s Association of Journalists and Critics of the Comic Book in 2018.
The plot centers on Nico, a 15-year-old loner bullied at school due to his parents’ funeral business. Through a cultural exchange program, he meets Gabi, a rebellious French girl. Their unlikely friendship leads them, and three of Nico’s tormentors, into a dark investigation after discovering a hidden corpse and stolen jewelry.
Directed by Álvaro Fernández-Armero (“A Moroccan Affair,” “If I Were Rich”), the film features a cast including Víctor Clavijo (“The Wait”), Alexandra Jiménez (“100 Meters”), Fele Martínez (“Darkness”) Belén Rueda (“The Orphanage”) and rising stars such as Diego Montejo and Iratxe Emparan.
“We’re thrilled to be back working with Álex de la Iglesia and his team, on this occasion on a film that captures the atmosphere of the family adventure genre of the ‘80s and ‘90s,” said Telecinco Cinema CEO Ghislain Barrois. “Mystery, action and adventure in a movie for all the family, directed by Álvaro Fernández-Armero, with whom we’ve had so many box-office hits. All of us at Telecinco Cinema are extremely satisfied with how ‘The Mortimers’ has turned out. It’s a highly entertaining adventure movie that the whole family will enjoy.”
Carolina Bang and Álex de la Iglesia, CEOs at Pokeepsie Films, also expressed excitement, “Thanks to the trust of Telecinco Cinema and the talent of Álvaro Fernández-Armero, we’ve managed to turn the challenge of adapting ‘Les Croques’ into a reality. For the first time at Pokeepsie Films, we’re making a film that not only are we excited about, but one that we can enjoy with our children as well. It’s our first step towards the type of movies that are aimed at the whole family.”
Filmax head of international Ivan Diaz added, “The gothic comedy genre has given us huge hits in the past, such as ‘The Addams Family,’ ‘Beetlejuice’ and, more recently, ‘Wednesday.’ This film aims to continue updating this popular genre, which is so loved by the public and by filmmakers such as Álex de la Iglesia, one of the greatest exponents of black comedy in Spain.”
“The Mortimers” is set to premiere in Spain on Aug. 14, distributed by Paramount. The film’s first footage will be revealed at the Marché du Film in Cannes.
