07/06/2021 - The show is the first Starzplay Original International Series to be shot in Spain; the Maggie Civantos-starrer is being produced by The Mediapro Studio

Maggie Civantos during the shoot for Express (© Niete)

Express is the title of the first Starzplay Original International Series to be filmed in Spain, produced by The Mediapro Studio. It’s an action-thriller created by Iván Escobar (the series Vis a Vis), and written by Escobar, Antonio Sánchez Olivas (the series Aída) and Martín Suárez (the series Rabia). Directing duties have been entrusted to Gabe Ibáñez (Autómata [+see also:
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Express tells the story of criminal psychologist Bárbara (played by Civantos) and her family, after she is the victim of an express kidnapping. It’s a reflection of the society in which we all coexist, where life is lived at breakneck speed and immediacy is what makes the world go round: a world that moves so fast that there is no margin for reacting to extreme situations. Fully aware that fear is the biggest money-spinner in the world, there are many people who use it as a way to turn a quick profit. In the wake of her traumatic experience, Bárbara starts working as a negotiator in cases similar to hers, and her main aim is to comprehend why she became a victim and to discover exactly who brought her stability crashing down around her.

Escobar, the showrunner of the series, asserted during its presentation, “We have attempted to tell the story of a person who, after being held against her will in a car boot for four hours, remembered her husband and daughters. But not only does it talk about this, and the investigation into the crime; it also talks about an epileptic society where even sex and divorces are ‘express’, even though there’s also enough leeway for us to be able to forgive. And above all, it talks about fear.”

“Everything in our lives appeals to fear. Our lives are protected by alarm systems: dread is the biggest business in the world, and that’s why our series hinges on an insurance company that offers policies against express kidnappings,” stated executive producer Sánchez Olivas. “But we wanted to give this a traditional, local spin, with hints of comedy, and infuse it with a Spanish tone thanks to its great cast of actors.”

Laura Fernández Espeso, CEO of The Mediapro Studio, said that this is “a global project, an international production, a franchise and a family thriller that can work very well in Europe as well as in the USA and Latin America. Its fascinating characters will take centre stage: especially the lead, a woman who eschews the classical and the conventional.”

Express, a series made up of eight episodes, will be available via the Starzplay platform in Spain and Latin America, and via Pantaya in the USA.

(Translated from Spanish)