Limelight productions announced Monday that Eugenio Derbez (“CODA,” “Instructions Not Included”), Eva Longoria (“Sylvie’s Love,” “Overboard”), Reese Gonzales, Veronica Falcón, Isabella Gomez, Luna Blaise and Kevin Alejandro have boarded Aitch Alberto’s directorial debut project “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.”
Limelight will finance the film. Alongside Limelight, 3Pas Studios and Big Swing Productions will produce in association with Boies Schiller Entertainment. Valerie Stadler, Kyra Sedgwick, Ben Odell, Eugenio Derbez, Lin-Manuel Miranda and 5000 Broadway Productions, Dylan Sellers and Chris Parker will produce. David Boies and Zack Schiller are executive producing, with CJ Barbato co-producing.
“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” centers on the friendship between Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza and Dante Quintana, two Mexican American boys on the cusp of manhood who form a life-changing bond after a chance meeting at an El Paso pool in the summer of 1987.
Derbez most recently played Bernardo in Apple TV+’s lauded feature CODA alongside Marlee Matlin. He can next be seen in the highly anticipated 3Pas produced projects including the critically acclaimed half-hour comedy, “Acapulco”, now streaming on Apple TV+ and The Valet, also starring Samara Weaving and Max Greenfield for Lionsgate and Hulu. Previous credits include Lionsgate’s Instructions Not Included which he also directed,and Overboard both which made a 100 million dollars at the box office.
An award-winning actress, Emmy-nominated director, producer, entrepreneur, and activist, Longoria has been leading the charge of diverse and female representation since her starring role in the hit ABC series “Desperate Housewives.” Longoria was most recently seen on the big screen in Amazon’s Emmy-nominated film “Sylvie’s Love” and Universal’s “The Boss Baby: Family Business.” Next she will be seen in Universal’s sci-fi project “War of the Worlds” and the independent film “Unplugging.” She also recently wrapped production on her feature directorial debut “Flamin’ Hot” for Searchlight.
Alberto was most recently a writer on “Duster,” from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan for HBO Max and Warner Bros. TV and previously wrote on Apple TV+’s Little America.