During his Tuesday Masterclass, the Emmy and Annie-award-winning director, animator and designer revealed a new, limited series based in the ‘Maya and the Three’ and ‘Book of Life’ mythological Mesoamerican universe.
Annecy 2023 Mifa Campus patron, director, animator, and designer extraordinaire Jorge R. Gutiérrez announced a new Netflix series during his Masterclass on Tuesday, which will be based in the Maya and the Three and The Book of Life mythological Mesoamerican universe.
The limited series marks the third project under Netflix’s overall deal with Gutiérrez’s production company, Mexopolis. While not much else was revealed about the untitled project, the filmmaker did share, “a lot of reincarnated characters” would appear, and that, “It’s pretty crazy but it’s still really early [in development].”
Gutiérrez also spoke about his first adult animated feature, I, Chihuahua!, which is similarly in development at Netflix, explaining it is, “basically a Street Fighter movie about a little Mexican Chihuahua dog who wants to be a Mexican wrestler.” Gutiérrez added, “But it’s about this underdog Chihuahua who enters the World Cup tournament for fighters, and there’s going to be fighters from all over the world, he’s going to fight tigers and panthers and cheetahs and jaguars and he’s just this little dog. It’s about the underdog that is Latin America competing with the world.”
Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch, The Mitchells vs. the Machines director Mike Rianda, and The Sea Beast and Big Hero 6 director Chris Williams are all part of Gutiérrez's story trust on the project.
Gutiérrez ended his Workshop with some sage words for his students, saying, “Every single director you guys admire was once a student like you. They graduated, they were terrified. Of not getting a job. Of losing that job. I remember thinking losing a job would be the end of the world. Now I’ve lost maybe 30 jobs. You just get better. You just have to stick to it. Persistence is more important than talent. And I think if you help others, if you help those who can’t help you, it will come back to you in a good way. Don’t worry, you’re gonna make it.”
Take a few moments to read AWN’s piece on another inspiring Gutiérrez talk back in 2019 - Jorge Gutierrez Shares His Inspirational Path of Most Resistance.
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