Javiera Balmaceda of Prime Video: “We’re Presenting De Viaje Con Los Derbez, Cometierra and Venganza as Bets on Content Made in Mexico”

In a gathering with industry players, advertisers, brands, agencies, and media—and just a day before its upfront in Colombia—Amazon Prime held its own event in Mexico, highlighting its strategy to continue boosting original productions from the country. These titles are not only aimed at winning over Mexican audiences but also at positioning themselves globally within the streaming offering. Among the main bets are the new season of De Viaje con los Derbez, this time set in Japan, as well as other titles such as Venganza and more across different genres.

In an interview, Javiera Balmaceda, Head of International Originals, Latin America, Canada, and Australia at Amazon MGM Studios, shared part of the portfolio of local productions that will form part of Prime Video’s global offering.

“Today we’re unveiling titles coming to close out 2025, such as De Viaje con los Derbez, which this time is heading to Japan. We have Cometierra, premiering at the end of October this year, and we’ll also be showcasing everything we have for 2026, starting with the film Venganza, arriving in theaters in February with Omar Chaparro, Alejandro Speitzer, and Paola Núñez. It’s an action movie that has nothing to envy from Hollywood—we have car chases, fights, etc.”

Balmaceda also confirmed the second season of Nadie Nos Va a Extrañar and new episodes of La Oficina.

LOCAL STRATEGY WITH GLOBAL IMPACT

The executive stressed that Amazon’s strategy always starts with the local audience: “My first challenge is to ensure that our original productions from Mexico grow and delight our Mexican audience. That’s how it’s done. From the first LOL with Eugenio Derbez to titles like Mentiras, Quién lo Mató, or Nadie Nos Va a Extrañar. This is extremely important for Prime Video globally because we make huge growth strides with these local productions.”

On the positioning of regional content, she explained: “The big learning we’ve had over the last two or three years is to stick to our principle of obsession with the local audience. What we’ve proven is that when we focus on local stories, they not only resonate with local audiences, they also expand beyond their countries.”

COLLABORATION MODEL WITH SPONSORS

Balmaceda highlighted the model of organic brand integration: “First and foremost, it’s about what is the best story we want to tell. And when a sponsor comes along organically and fits within the story, that’s where we have the perfect marriage. We saw it with Mentiras and L’Oréal.”

TALENT AND NEW VOICES

The executive emphasized that the bet is not only on well-known actors but also on new creators. “We need to create and continue growing the industry. If we don’t give opportunities to new directors and talent, it becomes very difficult to build that industry. What’s important is to look for those new voices and support them with more experienced talent so they can create a successful series or film.”

One example is La Casa de los Espíritus, based on Isabel Allende’s novel, featuring Alfonso Herrera, Fernanda Castillo, Nicole Wallace, Dolores Fonzi, Antonia Zegers, and Juan Pablo Raba: “It’s a Latin American project that showcases the richness of the region’s talent,” Balmaceda noted.

DIVERSE GENRES AND FORMATS

The upfront showcased the range of genres Prime Video is preparing.

“We’ll see action, drama, puppets, comedy, reality, sports—we’re coming back with De Viaje con los Derbez in Japan,” Balmaceda detailed. She also revealed that sports will play a key role: “We have the NBA, and I’m a basketball fan, so I’m very excited.”

On the release schedule, she clarified: “We don’t have an exact number, but we remain committed to ensuring that at least every month there’s something new 100% from the region.”

ADVERTISING AND REACH

Carlos Fanjul, General Manager of Amazon Advertising Mexico, highlighted Prime Video’s reach in the country: “More than 2 million people tuned in to watch Las Chivas on Prime Video, and today it’s the home of this team. At Amazon Ads we’re helping to connect with passions and experiences where the emotional connection is very high.”

He added that Prime Video’s reach has grown to more than 14 million people: “This is a strategic reach because half of it is monthly advertising. We’re developing new ad experiences so that brands can be stronger and have a high presence alongside premium content.”

GROWTH VISION

Tomás Tejero, Country Manager of Prime Video Mexico, stated: “We want to become the first choice for all Mexicans. We offer the possibility of subscribing to other systems within the same platform. Over nearly 10 years we’ve proven that great stories are born here with titles like De Viaje con los Derbez, which this year will have a season from Japan. Added to this is LOL, a Japanese format we made in Mexico and replicated in more than 10 countries.”

The executive recalled that Mentiras, la Serie broke records: “It’s the most-watched series on all of Prime Video and ranked in the Top Ten of Latin productions.”

In sports, Prime Video signed in 2025 an agreement for more than 200 exclusive games and the NBA finals. It also strengthened its partnership with Chivas Femenil and launched a special edition Chivas Echo Pop with Alexa:

“You can also enjoy the NFL, Formula 1, and UFC—all just a click away,” he added.

GLOBAL FRANCHISES AND LOCAL CONTENT

Pato González, Head of Content Marketing at Prime Video, noted: “Prime Video is also home to global franchises. We’ll return to iconic universes and bring stories that promise to become cultural phenomena like Betty la Fea, The Rings of Power, Reacher, Gen V, 31 Minutos, and Juegos de Seducción.”

Alonso Aguilar, Head of International Originals for Mexico, added that the commitment is to keep telling powerful stories: “We believe series are a driving force for portraying our identity. We do this with local teams both in front of and behind the cameras, with a vision that is not just local but also global.”

CONFIRMED PRODUCTIONS

Among the highlighted projects for Mexico and Latin America are:

–Cometierra, based on Dolores Reyes’ novel, with magical realism.

–Cada Minuto Cuenta, final season.

–De Viaje con los Derbez: Japón, premiere September 26.

–El Juicio, produced by and starring Eugenio Derbez, with Daniel Krauze as showrunner and Pedro Alonso.

–LOL Talent and LOL 8, presented at the event by Eugenio Derbez, Adal Ramones, and Michelle Rodríguez.

–Venganza, Amazon’s first movie to hit theaters first (February 2026), produced by Pablo Cruz, starring Omar Chaparro, Alejandro Speitzer, and Paola Núñez—who attended the upfront to share project details.

–La Oficina, Mexican version presented by Fernando Bonilla, who stars in the story created by Gaz Alazraki and Marcos Bucay.

–Nadie Nos Va a Extrañar, second season, with part of the cast on stage to announce the new installment.

–31 Minutos: Calurosa Navidad, available in December.

–La Casa de los Espíritus, presented by actress Fernanda Castillo, who shared details of this first series adaptation of Isabel Allende’s novel.

–Prefiero la Muerte, by Sebastián Sariñana.