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Cuaron, Del Toro, and Inarritu Team Up for 5-Film $100 Million Deal!

by Alex Billington
May 21, 2007
Source: Variety

They each had a film at the Academy Awards this year, they each had a film that made it high up on my Top 15 of 2006 list (including at spots #3 and #4), and they each are from Mexico - who are they? Some of the most visionary directors you'll ever find: Guillermo del Toro (Pans Labyrinth), Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men) and Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel). These three have put together one of the greatest deals in Hollywood, a production company that's going to produce five films in total, one directed by each of them as well as two other Mexican directors. Just recently at Cannes in France, Universal announced that they have partnered to distribute the five films, and we'll finally see one of the greatest production partnerships ever hit the big screen.

Apparently they're calling themselves Cha Cha Cha, quite catchy, and will maintain creative control on all five of the projects. At least two will be in Spanish, while the others will be in English, and writer-directors Carlos Cuarón (brother of Alfonso) and Rodrigo García will join them as well. The total production budget (which Universal just coughed up) will be $100 million, a fine lump of money to create what may end up being the five greatest films we'll see in the next five years.

Here's the statement made by the three:

"We are proud to be not only part of the world cinema community, but also students of it. Universal and Focus are affording us a safe haven to keep doing the work we love as well as nurture other filmmakers."

I'm certainly proud as well, as this means there are some great films on the way. I am sure almost everyone out there will agree that Pans Labyrinth, Children of Men, and Babel were some of the best films of last year, even if you didn't personally like one or the other. Not only is it great to see these filmmakers thriving in such a tough cinematic world these days, but it's great that we'll be treated to their upcoming films knowing they've been supported with creative freedom all along. Bravo Universal! Now they just need to learn how to distribute movies correctly, and we'll be in business!

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