Fernando Barbosa, Senior VP of Distribution and Production for Latin America
As part of Disney’s traditional screening—which concludes the major studios’ presentations—Fernando Barbosa, Senior VP of Distribution and Production for Latin America, spoke LIVE with Richard Izarra about the new titles they unveiled, including both U.S. and Latin American films and series.
Regarding upcoming films, he mentioned a very diverse slate with strong global box office potential, including Elio, Freaky Friday 2, Zootopia 2, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the major release of Lilo & Stitch, which the executive believes will be a big success in the region. He also highlighted established franchise series such as Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1 Nashville, High Potential, Tracker, and Abbott Elementary, among others, along with new titles like The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox and the comedy Adults.
In terms of production in Latin America, he mentioned a large volume of films slated for Brazil and Mexico—two markets they’ll be heavily investing in during 2025—and he highlighted the success of the Mexican feature film Mesa de Regalos in both theaters and on Disney+.
He revealed that they are working on major projects, including the production of four very well-known and successful franchises in Latin America, which will be developed with local partners and will also air on broadcast television.
He added that they are working with TIS in Colombia, which he described as a very important territory for the company due to its cost-effectiveness and high-quality work.
He stated that Argentina has always performed well for them, and they have major franchises there such as El Encargado. They are currently working on season four and have already confirmed a fifth season. Barbosa considers it one of the most successful local productions they’ve had.
They’ve also done very well with the biographical documentary on soccer player Sergio Agüero, Kun por Agüero, and the thriller Camaleón, starring China Suárez and Pablo Echarri, whose first episode was previewed during the screening.
In Brazil, they’ve had great success with Amor da Minha Vida starring Bruna Marquezine, and are already working on a second season. The Impuros franchise, which now has several seasons, is another notable success.
Several Latin American films were showcased during the screening, including the Argentine titles Mazel Tov (directed by and starring Adrián Suar), El Novio de Mamá, and La Desgracia, an Argentine-Brazilian co-production.