Roku Expands Spanish-Language Content With 6 New Originals From Jennifer Lopez, Juanpa Zurita and Jaime Camil

J-Lo’s “Thanks a Million” will debut its first Spanish-language season this August on Roku TV

Jennifer Lopez Juanpa Zurita Jaime Camil
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Roku is continuing its lineup of Spanish-language originals with five new series from creators such as Juanpa Zurita and Jaime Camil. But that’s not all. The streaming player-turned-content hub also announced the premiere date for Season 3 of “Un Millón de Gracias” from Jennifer Lopez. Previously titled “Thanks a Million,” this year will mark the series’ first Spanish-language season as a new batch of celebrities give back to the people who have influenced them the most.

Each episode of “Un Millón de Gracias” follows a different celebrity who has been asked to give away $100,000 to someone who has inspired them by being a hero in their community. But once that person has been gifted $100,000, they will have to give away half of it to someone who has inspired them. This season’s celebrities will include Chiquis, Gina Torres, Jaime Camil, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, Lauren Jauregui, Michael Peña, Michelle Rodriguez, Pau Gasol, Sofia Reyes and Wilmer Valderrama. Lopez executive produces the series for Nuyorican Productions along with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Larry Del Santo. Rhett Bachner, Brien Meagher and Aliyah Silverstein also executive produce for B17 Entertainment. Season 3 will premiere in the U.S. on August 11 and in Mexico at a later date.

The rest of Roku’s slate is entirely new. “Carpe DM with Juanpa” follows adventurous social media star and actor Juanpa Zurita as he pushes his body and mind to the limits as he travels across the United States. Prepare to see this former Vine star do everything from flying a jet to riding a bull. Eric Day, Mark Koops and Sarah Davies executive produce the six-episode series for INE, while Zurita and Brenda Tubilla executive produce it for ARCO. Dave Lingwood will also EP. The series currently doesn’t have a premiere date.

Next up is “Desde la Raíz,” a docuseries that is described as “a love letter to México.” Executive produced and narrated by Camil, each episode explores a quintessentially Mexican product like coffee, chile, corn and mezcal. The four-episode series is produced and directed by Paulina Gamiz for Cultura Contrabando and Gus Sánchez for Low Budget Films, with Camil’s ECABA and Zero Gravity Management’s Ray Jimenez also serving as executive producers. The series does not yet have a premiere date.

Roku will then continue its celebration of food with  “La Divina Comida” and “Batalla en Abuela’s Kitchen.” The 16-episode “La Divina Comida” turns the stress of the perfect dinner party into a full-blown competition as two celebrity couples compete to throw the perfect evening of great food and company. Each episode will feature a host, four celebrities and three guests as they’re judged on both their culinary skills and their ability to serve and receive guests. Alex Lora, Belinda, Carlos Gatica, Dulce María, Emmanuel, Erik Rubín, Faisy, Itatí Cantoral, José Ángel Bichir, Karol Sevilla, Manu Nna, Margarita The Cumbia Goddess, María León, Michelle Rodríguez, Rafa Márquez and Verónica Toussaint are all expected to premiere in the series, which was produced by WarnerMedia Discovery for HBOmax Latin America. Fernanda Huerta and Edmundo Mora also serve as executive producers. “La Divina Comida” will only be available on The Roku Channel in the United States. A premiere date has not been announced.

Continuing the feel-good programming trend is the Gen Z cooking competition show “Batalla en Abuela’s Kitchen.” Hosted by Mario Ruiz, this series challenges up-and-coming chefs to puts their own twists on traditional Latin dishes. Featured judges will include Carla Dawkins (Panama), Eneida Mascetti, (Puerto Rico), Patty Lavalle (Mexico). Chef Margarita Bernal (Colombia), Chef Adolfo Cavalie (Peru) and Chef Octavio Ortega (Mexico). Mari Urdaneta and Liliana Moyano serve as executive producers for Dhana Media, and John Pollak serves as executive producer for Allied Management Group. Luis Balaguer also serves as executive producer along with Moira Noriega, who is also the showrunner. “Batalla en Abuela’s Kitchen” will premiere on The Roku Channel in the U.S. and Mexico June 9.

Finally, there’sSerenata De Las Estrellas,” a four-episode docuseries that celebrates some of the biggest names in Latin music. Singer Chiquis, rapper and singer Snow Tha Product and rock bands Los Lobos and Ozomatli will all be featured in the series, which is executive produced by showrunner Gil Lopez. Additional executive producers include Greice Santo and RJ Cipriani as well as Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager, Jared Morell and Jordan Barrow for Den of Thieves. A premiere date has not yet been announced.

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