Jonás Cuarón, son of Alfonso Cuarón, is giving us a new take on the “a boy and his dog” drama with Chupa. The upcoming Netflix film centers on a shy boy who befriends a mystical chupacabra while in Mexico connecting with extended family for the first time.
Newcomer Evan Whitten leads the film, joined by a solid veteran cast of Demián Bichir, Christian Slater, Ashley Ciarra, Nickolas Verdugo, Adriana Paz, Gerardo Taracena, and Julio Cesar Cedillo.
The film is directed by Cuarón, who co-wrote on Gravity and directed immigration thriller Desierto. He’s currently attached to Sony/Marvel’s lucha libre superhero film, El Muerto.
Chupa hits Netflix on April 7th.
Shy 13-year-old Alex (Evan Whitten) flies from Kansas City to Mexico to meet his extended family for the first time. There he meets his grandfather and former Lucha libre champion Chava (Demián Bichir), energetic, wrestling-obsessed cousin Memo (Nickolas Verdugo), and fearless, hip cousin, Luna (Ashley Ciarra). But just as Alex begins to get his bearings, he discovers a mythical creature living under his grandfather’s shed: a young chupacabra cub, which he recognizes from stories of the feared, full-grown chupacabra, fabled to feed on farmers’ livestock. Alex soon learns that his new friend “Chupa” has a secret history with his family and that dogged, dangerous scientist Richard Quinn (Christian Slater) is hunting the misunderstood creature to try and harness his powers. To protect Chupa from impending danger, Alex sets off on the adventure of a lifetime, one that will push the bonds of his newfound family to the brink and remind him that life’s burdens are lighter when you don’t have to carry them alone.
