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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Red Queen’ on Prime Video, a Familiar Yet Fascinating Spanish Serial Killer Thriller

Where to stream:.

serial killers

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ Vol. 4 on Netflix, Where The Legacy Docuseries Tackles More Intrigue From The Annals Of True Crime

Stream it or skip it: ‘borderless fog’ on netflix, an international serial killer thriller, stream it or skip it: ‘at witt’s end: the hunt for a killer’ on hulu, a docuseries about how cold case investigators try to link a 30-year-old murder to a serial killer, is ‘trap’ streaming on netflix or max.

Spanish series Red Queen ( now streaming on Amazon Prime Video ) is a by-turns gloomy and clever adaptation of the first of a trilogy of dark thrillers written by author and journalist Juan Gomez-Jurado. Focusing on the spiky interplay between a disgraced detective and a superintelligent, mentally disturbed woman, it blends the stuff of cop procedurals, serial-killer thrillers and supernatural mysteries into a moderately provocative brew. And to be honest, it feels a little too familiar – but the debut episode might offer enough intrigue and complex characters to compel us to stick with it through seven gloomy-doomy episodes.

RED QUEEN : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A lengthy drone shot pans down from the wispy clouds on a sunny day to the Madrid skyline, then zooms in close to a city street, where a woman stands on a window ledge.

The Gist: Antonia (Vicky Luengo) is in a dark place. She leans out the window with the look on her face that tells us she’s thinking about jumping. Concurrently, cop Jon Gutierrez (Hovik Kuechkerian) enters the apartment building, finds Antonia’s name on a mailbox, and begins the sweaty and exhausting climb up many flights to her floor. He stops to rest and catch his breath, and we really, really don’t want him to, for obvious reasons. The camera pans from window to window in Antonia’s flat and we see different versions of her tying a noose, climbing into the tub with a razor blade, putting a gun in her mouth, dousing herself with gasoline, unsheathing a samurai sword to commit ritual seppuku – and then climbing onto the window sill and leaping. Smash cut to title sequence.

But! This was just, what? A fakeout? A vision? Weird third-person POVs into Antonia’s state of mind? She’s in fact very much still alive when Gutierrez finally gets there. She’s a step ahead of him at all times: She already knows someone known as Mentor sent him. “What have you done wrong?” she asks him, because she knows if he’s seeing her, he’s likely in a bind. And this is when we flash back two days, to a scene in which Gutierrez tells a sex worker that she shouldn’t have to put up with the pimp that’s beating her up. He plants heroin in his car – but it was a reverse sting. She and the pimp set him up, and now he’s up shit creek with his bosses.

So Gutierrez sits in a police interrogation room when this Mentor character (Alex Brendemuhl) kinda just emerges from the shadows. Mentor says he’ll get Gutierrez out of trouble if he finds and retrieves Antonia, who has a 242 IQ, making her the most intelligent person in the world. Then we jump back ahead to Antonia and Gutierrez. She allows herself to be talked into going with him. And so they go, to a subdivision of the incomprehensibly rich, to the home of a banker. Mentor greets them, but Antonia stays in the car and has freakout hallucinations of a vicious monkey attacking her. Mentor feeds her a pill and she calms down and they all go inside to take in a rather Cronenbergian scene: The banker’s adult son, frozen stiff, seated upright on a sofa, the top half of his head cleanly sliced off. Perhaps it goes without saying that he’s dead. And it sure seems like Antonia’s intelligence and mental illness are a contributing factor in her apparent superhuman abilities – it appears she may be the go-to psychic for a secret almost-maybe-sorta law-enforcement agency that exists to help the rich and powerful.

Speaking of filthy rich assholes, this whole time we’ve been cutting away to Carla Ortiz (Celia Freijeiro), a fashion designer who works for her father Ramon (Jose Angel Egido). They argue, because he’s shutting down the company just like someone who’s getting out while the getting’s good and not giving a rat’s tuckus if a buildingful of employees get laid off, and she wants to save the company. She calls her driver who takes her to a stable to pick up her beloved horse, so they can deliver it to a racetrack in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, when all the music cues tell us that’s probably not a smart time to be in this place, because who knows who might be out there, posing as a ranger who could help Carla when she gets lost, but in actuality, has more sinister plans for her? Oh jeez, I say. Oh jeez.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Several dozen gritty TV cop shows, conspiratorial thrillers and serial killer dramas (or combinations thereof) come to mind – The Killing , Mindhunter , The Blacklist , etc. – combined with the eyebrow-raising possible supernaturalisms of True Detective .

Our Take: And yet, despite that seen-it-before feeling, Red Queen gives us enough juicy characters and quick-wit dialogue to keep us engaged. In Gutierrez and Antonia, we get a pair of whip-smart, what’s- their -damage protagonists with compelling flaws, trading quips and, perhaps unwittingly, finding themselves in bizarre situations that might be life-altering. They’re classic Flawed Characters, one struggling to determine if she has a gift or a curse, the other exists in a moral gray area where he’s willing to break the rules to help people. (Do we sit down and watch prestige-y dramas like this expecting anything less? The mystery-of-the-week format is soooooo 1990s – or soooooo CW.)

The debut points less toward being a true groundbreaker, more toward being a honing of familiar formulas to a spiky point. It teases Antonia’s probably tragic past (she had a family; now her apartment is barren) and paints Gutierrez as an eccentric fella whose aging mother may be his only close confidant. The former, it seems, is trying to avoid being pulled back into secretive extralegal affairs – no character in the history of audio-visual art with a uni-moniker like Mentor ever heads up a pleasant sewing circle at the community center. The latter will likely have to use his considerable wit to keep from losing himself in an ethically foggy cabal created to benefit the upper-crusties. So: Interesting people, interesting setting, flashes of grisly gore – we may have a winner here.

Sex and Skin: None so far.

Parting Shot: The Moon, big and bright and full, hovers in the sky, peering between tree branches, coldly observing some pretty terrible shit happening. It does not intervene.

Sleeper Star: He’s not a by-strict-definition “sleeper star,” but the way Kuechkerian underplays the role of the Man Who’s Seen It All (Even Though He Obviously Hasn’t Seen It All) illustrates how Gutierrez will likely be the primary engine driving this series.

Most Pilot-y Line: Two pointed zingers aim to set the hook and make us wonder WTF is up with Antonia:

“You and I think. She does something else.” – Mentor

“Look, I’m not saying she’s not the reincarnation of Clarice Starling, but people might mistake her for one crazy bitch.” – Gutierrez

Our Call: Sometimes you can blend several of the same ol’ ingredients into something pretty tasty – and that, so far, is Red Queen ’s M.O. STREAM IT.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Victoria Luengo and Hovik Keuchkerian in Red Queen (2024)

A gifted woman's intellect brings chance to lead covert European police force. But it backfires, costing her everything. Following murder at her home and kidnapped heiress, her ex-supervisor... Read all A gifted woman's intellect brings chance to lead covert European police force. But it backfires, costing her everything. Following murder at her home and kidnapped heiress, her ex-supervisor enlists a policeman's aid to reinstate her. A gifted woman's intellect brings chance to lead covert European police force. But it backfires, costing her everything. Following murder at her home and kidnapped heiress, her ex-supervisor enlists a policeman's aid to reinstate her.

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Trivia Vicky Luengo (Antonia Scott) and Hovik Keuchkerian (Jon Gutiérrez) previously worked together on Antidisturbios (2020).

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The Red Queen: What We Know About The TV Show In Development And The Books It's Based On

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The Red Queen TV show could be coming to a TV or computer screen near you, just not as part of the 2021 Summer TV show lineup. Red Queen is a best-selling book series that debuted in 2015. It has gained millions of fans over the course of the series’ current 4-year run. Fans of Red Queen have wanted to see it become a series or movie for years. Now, it seems Peacock may just grant their wishes.

In May 2021, Peacock announced plans to develop a Red Queen TV show. As of June 2021, many details are still in the works, but we do know a lot about the book series source material. Let’s explore what we know about the potential upcoming Red Queen TV show and the books.

The Red Queen TV Show Is In Development At Peacock

According to Deadline , Peacock is developing a Red Queen TV show. This means that they have bought the rights to the book series and begun taking the preliminary steps to start to put the pilot into production. Nothing has been filmed yet, but if the studio likes the script, has the budget for it, and wants to move forward with the project, they then begin the next step. The next step involves hiring the rest of the cast and crew, finding locations, designing costumes, etc., and then shooting the pilot.

If the studio likes the pilot, they will order the series for a number of episodes. If they don’t like the pilot, then the project may end or some changes may be made to make it more appealing. Sometimes a series gets a season pick-up even before the pilot is filmed, but this is rare. The future of the Red Queen series is still a bit in limbo until it gets further in the development process, but it should enter the next stage of development sometime this year.

Elizabeth Banks Will Direct And Have A Supporting Role In The Red Queen TV Show

Peacock announced that Elizabeth Banks will direct the pilot, be a co-producer on the show, and have a main supporting role in the Red Queen TV show. Banks has been building her directing resume over the last few years. She directed Pitch Perfect 2 and the 2019 Charlie’s Angels movie.

Peacock did not announce who Banks will play in the Red Queen adaptation, but if I had to guess, I believe she will end up playing Elara Merandus, the current queen of Norta when the first book starts, aka the most important queen among the Silvers. This is a meaty role that would give Banks a lot to do with it. But we'll have to wait and see once we get more information about the project.

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Red Queen Writer Victoria Aveyard Will Co-Write The Pilot

Red Queen fans can release some doubts they may have about the series knowing that the author of the book series, Victoria Aveyard, will co-write the pilot script with the Red Queen TV show showrunner, Beth Schwartz. Schwartz was the showrunner on Arrow for Season 7 and Season 8. She also acts as co-showrunner for Netflix’s series Sweet Tooth.

The four main books in the Red Queen series

The Red Queen TV Show Will Be Based On A Four Book Fantasy Series

Red Queen has four main books in its series: Red Queen, Glass Sword, King’s Cage, and War Storm. In addition to the four main books, it has four companion books or novellas set in the world of Red Queen. These books are Queen Song, Steel Scars, Cruel Crown, and Broken Throne.

As of June 2021, these eight books should give those curious about the potential TV series plenty to read to understand the world of Red Queen. All these books also give Peacock plenty of show material.

Red Queen Sets Up A World Divided by Blood Color And Magic

To avoid spoiler territory, in the general sense, the Red Queen books are about a world where Silvers rule and oppress Reds. Silvers and Reds are called that because of the color of their blood. Silvers bleed silver blood and Reds bleed red blood. The Silvers are the ones in charge because they have magic powers. The Reds don’t have powers... at least they’re not supposed to have them.

The Reds are poor, powerless, and often die on the battlefield because of the system of hierarchy. The Silvers are rich, powerful, and cruel, at least that’s how Mare Barrow sees them.

Red Queen’s Heroine Is Mare Barrow

The opening reveal of the first Red Queen book is that Mare Barrow, a Red, has powers. “Little Lightning girl,” as she’s not-so-affectionately called by the Silver royalty, has the power to control and manipulate electricity and lightning. No one, including Mare, understands how or why she has these powers.

The first season of the Red Queen TV show should follow the first book, which involves Mare’s discovering her powers and what happens because of that discovery. Mare seems like just an ordinary girl until she finds out about her powers. Then she does many things that take her life in a grand direction. Because Red Queen is basically about Mare, this will be Peacock and the team behind the Red Queen TV show’s most important casting decision.

Red Queen Has An Important Love Triangle

The second and third most important casting decisions for the Red Queen TV show will be who plays Maven and Cal. Maven and Cal are Silver princes. Cal is the oldest prince and heir to the Norta throne, and Maven is the younger prince and his mother is Elara. Cal’s mother died long ago. In the first Red Queen book, Mare ends up falling for both brothers.

Love triangles are all the rage in young adult novels, movies , and shows, and if they’re brothers? Even better! So the Mare, Cal, and Maven love triangle isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but as the first Red Queen book progresses, it becomes an even more vital part of the story and its conclusion.

Red Queen is A Young Adult Series Similar To Harry Potter And Hunger Games

Fans of the Harry Potter books and movies may enjoy Red Queen because they both establish a very interesting world of magic and mayhem. However, the Red Queen book series is most similar to The Hunger Games movies and books. It’s set in a dystopian world where one group rules over another, there are arena battles, a poor girl who seems like the only hope for her people, a rebellion, a love triangle that involves a friend from childhood, and many other similarities.

However, Red Queen is not a Harry Potter or Hunger Games copy. It has its own unique identity that makes it not feel like a repeat of these popular books and movies. It also has some twists and turns that give it some Game of Thrones elements, so it basically fulfills all your fantasy series needs.

Despite the Red Queen TV Show only being in the development stage at Peacock, we will likely get a little more news about the series in the upcoming months, especially since Peacock Premium seems to be increasing its original programming, especially in the teen show department, to draw in more paid subscribers. We could meet the screen versions of Mare, Cal, and Maven very soon. The entire Red Queen book series is currently available to purchase wherever books are sold, including Amazon .

Spent most of my life in various parts of Illinois, including attending college in Evanston. I have been a life long lover of pop culture, especially television, turned that passion into writing about all things entertainment related. When I'm not writing about pop culture, I can be found channeling Gordon Ramsay by kicking people out the kitchen.

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The Red Queen (Reina Roja) Season 1 Review – A common narrative turns into a thrilling battle of wits

Episode Guide

Reina Roja (Red Queen) is a Spanish crime thriller series that follows the story of Antonia Scott, a genius with a high IQ and extraordinary deduction skills. She is the ace of a covert investigative force known as the Red Queen Project that specialises in handling crimes that should not be revealed to the public due to their grotesque nature.

Due to a family tragedy, Antonia Scott quits the agency, but she is forced back to work when a series of kidnappings and deaths of the firstborns of wealthy and influential people in Madrid occurs. She teams up with a suspended detective, Jon Gutierrez, under the leadership of the Mentor, to investigate the kidnappings. Along the way, the two discover that the cases are more complex than they might think. They encounter unexpected obstacles in a battle of wits and intellectual abilities.

The premise of Reina Roja is nothing new since there are so many series out there with geniuses helping in police investigations. However, the series stands out because it builds suspense throughout the episodes and concentrates on a single case, unlike several individual cases in most crime investigative series. The series’ first episodes are intriguing as the script works to solidify the narrative, making the initial episodes thrilling to watch. However, when the script continuously adds more questions to the story without providing answers, it becomes frustrating as the build-up becomes too much to handle.

Regardless, the writers balance the seriousness of Antonia’s high IQ investigative skills with the humour of her not-too-smart partner, making them a dynamic duo who are essential to the narrative. The resolution to the immense mysteries is half-baked in the final episodes, but the plot twist is mind-blowing, making the narrative worth the frustration. Consequently, the script blends the story with the main characters’ backgrounds, highlighting the gripping narrative. The dialogues are magical, especially the banter between the lead roles and the mystery, suspense, and tension add to the overall appeal of Reina Roja.

The incredible performances and chemistry between the lead characters make this worth the binge. Antonia Scott, a genius with an IQ of 242, excels in her portrayal of the character. She takes up a challenging role, aided by the show’s aesthetically -pleasing cinematography; she infuses the character with unique traits and an introverted personality befitting sharp intelligence.

Alongside her is the suspended detective, Jon Gutierrez, Antonia’s opposite in intelligence and mannerisms. He excels in dumbing up the situations, making it simple for the viewers to understand Antonia’s complex thoughts. He is impulsive, compassionate to a fault, has a bit of a temper, and is full of humour and warmth that radiates through the screen. Jon’s mother is another character that stands out in the series. She is a great cook, logical, empathetic, daring, humorous, and full of motherly love for her son and Antonia Scott.

Reina Roja infuses a refreshing twist to the traditional police procedural, turning a common narrative into a nail-biting thriller. The series evolves all the necessary emotions from excitement to anger and frustration as it drags through the episodes and delivers a great twist at the end, leaving viewers eagerly looking forward to the next season. It departs from the usual police investigation procedures and lures viewers with unpredictable plot twists, captivating performances, and wholesome dynamics in developing relationships, constantly keeping the audience on edge and intrigued and eager to discover what happens next.

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Verdict - 8.5/10 8.5/10

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The buddy-cop humor saves it, but other than that, Red Queen is a tossable Sherlock replica.

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Red Queen Movie Update: “The team is still chugging along”

Good news for Red Queen fans! 👑

Update: A Red Queen movie isn’t happening, but a television show is officially in the works. Victoria Aveyard announced that NBC’s Peacock will adapt Red Queen into a streaming series. Elizabeth Banks will produce, direct and appear in the show. Click here to learn more about the Red Queen TV series .

May 2021: Red Queen TV Series is happening, coming to Peacock
Sept. 2020: Victoria Aveyard in talks to adapt her upcoming series, ‘Realm Breaker,’ for film/television

Original Story: Author Victoria Aveyard is expected to announce the first book in her new series, but many Red Queen fans are eagerly awaiting news about the Red Queen movie — or a similar adaptation. In a Twitter thread posted on Tuesday, Aveyard reassured those fans that progress on the movie is still “moving,” even if she can’t offer many details.

“It is wonderful to know how many of you want a TV or film adaptation, and I’m sorry I don’t have any information to share at this time,” she said in the tweet . “Please bear with us, the team is still chugging along, things are moving.”

Aveyard tweeted that “something fun” was on the horizon on Monday, directing fans to join the Red Queen Facebook group . The tweet prompted speculation about a movie update. But on Tuesday, Aveyard revealed that a live Q&A session is planned with the group on July 14. Details about her next book — her first novel outside of the Red Queen series — are expected to be revealed during the Q&A.

“Please don’t look down on news that isn’t adaptation related,” Aveyard said. “I love the passion and I wish I could give you guys what you want, but I don’t have that level of power or control. I can only work with what I have, and that’s a finished book series with a new one on the way.”

A Red Queen film adaptation has been in the works since the early days of Red Queen ‘s publication . Universal Pictures picked up the adaptation rights to Aveyard’s popular series and quickly signed Elizabeth Banks on to direct the film in 2015. Banks, who is best known for playing Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games films, has since directed ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ (2015) and ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019). ‘Breaking Bad’ screenwriter Gennifer Hutchison was also brought on to adapt the books.

As for next week’s announcement, there are few details about Aveyard’s upcoming book series, but it’s possibly the YA high-fantasy she cryptically teased in 2019 .

Either way, Red Queen fans are bound to be happy about the news. As far as we see it: the movie project isn’t dead. And on top of that, we’re getting a new book series from Victoria Aveyard. 🙌

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Elizabeth Banks’ Red Queen Film Is Now A Streaming Series

Way back in the dim and distant past, in a year the ancients called 2015, Elizabeth Banks was looking to follow her directorial debut on Pitch Perfect 2 with a movie adaptation of Victoria Aveyard’s book Red Queen . Fast-forward today and, like so many projects, it will now instead become a streaming TV series.

The tome, published in February 2015, takes place in a near-future America divided by blood colour. Ordinary folk have red, while silver is for those elite types with supernatural abilities. Our focus is on Mare, a 17-year-old who is just about making a living as a thief. When a twist of fate leads to her saving the life of one of the royal court, she’s brought before the king and queen – and suddenly starts displaying powers of her own. To keep her under control, the king invents a backstory for her, and has her prepare to marry one of his sons. But she’s caught between worlds as she becomes part of the silver community while helping a rebellion among the reds.

Banks would co-produce and direct the series and is also taking an important supporting role, while Aveyard is writing the scripts alongside Arrow veteran Beth Schwartz. And with three book sequels already in existence, there's plenty of material for the show. It's in development at Universal-back service Peacock, so make your own guess as to where it ends up in the UK.

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Elizabeth Banks, Like a Fish to Water, Returns to YA Fic Adaptations With Red Queen

Imagine an America … that exists in the future … and is kind of like ours … but worse … and different? That’s the alternate reality proposed by Victoria Aveyard’s YA novel Red Queen ( and about 40 percent of YA novels in general) and it’s being adapted for Peacock by Elizabeth Banks’s production company. Banks will relive her Effie Trinket days by playing a supporting role on the drama series, which will be co-written by former Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz, according to Deadline . So what makes the dystopian alternate near-future of Red Queen different from the others? For one, democracy has been replaced by a monarchy, “led by a group of humans with superpowers who rule with an iron fist over those without powers,” according to Deadline, and our hero is Mare, no relation to Easttown , “a fiery young woman born to poverty without powers,” who “discovers the unthinkable: She somehow has powers too!” Mare then leads a revolution and learns about her past, as YA heroines are wont to do. No word on who will play Mare, nor what Banks’s role will be.

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20 Best Detective Series On Amazon Prime Video

10 mind-bending thrillers with a badass female lead, the 25 best psychological thrillers on amazon prime video.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Red Queen (Reina Roja)

Amazon's Red Queen is a top Spanish TV show with stellar performances and a captivating storyline.
Vicky Luengo shines as Antonia Scott, a genius investigator with haunting visions.
The ensemble cast, including Hovik Keuchkerian and Celia Freijeiro, elevates Red Queen's success.

Amazon’s Red Queen (Reina Roja) includes a large ensemble that provides compelling performances to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Created by Amaya Muruzabal, the thriller follows a woman named Antonia Scott, who gets wrapped up in an investigation of a string of vicious kidnappings and murders. This is one of the best Spanish-language TV shows to stream due to its compelling storyline, twists and turns, and incredible performances.

The main actors in Red Queen anchor the series, pushing the series forward at a rapid pace. Additionally, the rest of the ensemble provides some of the most moving performances. The overall success of the series is unsurprising, considering the number of established actors involved in the series. The cast includes mostly actors who work in Spain , combined with a few actors established in Hollywood as well.

This series should not be mistaken for the Red Queen TV show adaptation of Victoria Aveyard's books .

Vicky Luengo As Antonia Scott

Actor: Actress Vicky Luengo was born in Mallorca, Spain, and got her first role in 2007, playing Adolescent 2 in the Spanish TV movie Rumors . She began acting in multiple short films. In 2010, Luengo got her big break playing Ari in the drama series La Pecera de Eva . Since then, she’s continued to act in Spanish movies and TV shows .

Notable Movies & TV Shows: La Pecera de Eva (2010), Born (2014) Antidisturbios (2020), Chavalas (2021), and Suro (2022)

Character: In Red Queen , Vicky Luengo plays the smartest person on the planet, Antonia Scott, a.k.a. the “Red Queen.” Antonia has an IQ of 242 and suffers terrifying visions. Prior to the start of the series, she ran a covert experimental police project. Antonia is brought back from retirement in order to investigate multiple gruesome murders.

Hovik Keuchkerian As Jon Gutiérrez

Jon turns to talk to Antonia in Red Queen.

Actor: Hovik Keuchkerian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, but moved to Madrid, Spain, at the age of three. He started his career as a boxer and then became a stand-up comedian and writer. He got his first acting role in 2010 in the short film Lost (Perdido) . The same year, he got his big break as an actor playing Sandro in the historical drama Hispania, La Leyenda . While he started out acting in Spain, he went on to take jobs in American and British programs.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Scorpion in Love (2013), Assassin’s Creed (2016), Antidisturbios (2020), Money Heist (2019-2021), and Un Amor (2023)

Character: Throughout Red Queen , Hovik Keuchkerian plays a police officer named Jon Gutierrez. Jon helps Antonia run the investigation in order to clear his record after getting arrested by his colleagues. He has a kind heart and a strong sense of justice that gets him in trouble frequently.

The best detective series on Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video has a wide assortment of genre shows, including a treasure trove of great detective series available to stream right now.

Celia Freijeiro As Carla Ortiz

Carla cries and looks disheveled in Red Queen

Actor: Celia Freijeiro was born in Vigo, Galicia, Spain, and got her first onscreen role in 2005 as Alejandra in the crime thriller El Comisario. One year later, she received her first big role as Silvia Marcos in the series Amistades Pligrosas . Since then, her career has boomed with her taking on season-regular roles in multiple TV shows . She also has starred in numerous movies, including playing Laura in the cast of Bird Box: Barcelona .

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Pelotas (2009-2010), All Is Silence (2012), Seis Hermanas (2015-2017), Serve and Protect (2018), Vida Perfecta (2019-2021), Bird Box: Barcelona (2023)

Character: Celia Freijeiro plays Carla Ortiz in Red Queen . Carla is an executive at her father Ramon’s fashion company. She’s desperately trying to save the company when she gets kidnapped by Ezequiel in order to exploit and torment her father. Carla has pride in her hair, which Ezequiel cuts to humiliate her.

Andrea Trepat As Sandra A.K.A. Ezequiel

Sandra sits with her arms around her knees in Red Queen.

Actor: Actress Andrea Trepat was born in Lleida, Spain, and got her first role in 2008, playing 2008 in the drama TV show Zoo . She got her big break two years later when she was cast as Blanca in the short film Morir Cada Dia for which she won two Best Actress awards in minor film festivals. Since then, she’s gained much bigger roles on TV and in movies.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Morir Cada Dia (2010), Gran Hotel (2013), El Club De Los Incomprendidos (2014), Caronte (2020), and Amar En Tiempos Revueltos (2021-2022)

Character: In Red Queen , Andrea Trepat plays a woman named Sandra. Sandra pretends to be Fajardo’s dead daughter, looking to get revenge on him. By the end of the series, she’s revealed as Ezequiel, the villain behind the kidnapping and torturing of victims.

Red Queen Supporting Cast & Characters

Jose Ángel Egido As Ramón Ortiz: In Red Queen , Jose Ángel Egido plays Ramón Ortiz, Carla’s father and the owner of a fashion company. Egido was born in Redondela, Galicia, Spain, and got his first acting role in the 1983 short film Un Arrivo . He’s best known for acting in Mondays in the Sun , Everybody Knows , and Águila Roja .

Karmele Larrinaga As Martixu: Throughout Red Queen , Karmele Larrinaga plays Gutiérrez’s elderly mother, who is extremely loving towards her son. Larrinaga is a Spanish actress with few credits to her name but so much potential. She received her first role as Amparo in the short film Por Los Camareros . Larrinaga is best known for acting in the series Goenkale , Eskamak Kentzen , and Go!azen .

Alex Brendemühl As Mentor: Throughout Red Queen , Alex Brendemühl plays Mentor, Gutiérrez’s right-hand man leading the Red Queen organization. Brendemühl was born in Barcelona, Spain, and got his first role in 1993, playing Miquel in I Ara Què, Xènia? The actor is best known for his roles in The Prayer, From the Land of the Moon, and The German Doctor. He also plays Parques in the cast of Netflix’s Furies .

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Nacho Fresneda As Fajardo: In Red Queen , Nacho Fresneda plays Fajardo, a man who kidnaps and tortures the first-born children of millionaires. Fresneda was born in València, Spain, and got his first role as Toni in the 1996 movie Tramway to Malvarrosa. He’s best known for his roles in The Ministry of Time , Hospital Central , and The Silence of the Marsh.

Vicenta N’Dongo As Doctora Aguado: During Red Queen , Vicenta N’Dongo plays Doctora Aguado, a forensic scientist working for the Red Queen organization. N’Dongo was born in Barcelona, Spain, and got her first role in the 1992 short film El Largo Sueño De Las Plantas . The actress is best known for acting in The Messiah , V.O.S. , and Los Lobos De Washington .

Pere Brasó As Bruno Lejarreta: Throughout Red Queen , Pere Brasó plays Bruno Lejarreta, a man investigating the kidnappings. Brasó was born in Barcelona, Spain, and got his first role in the 2001 short film Llamada Perdida . The actor is best known for his roles in The Body , The Invisible Guest , and The Last Days .

Emma Suárez As Laura Trueba: Emma Suárez plays a millionaire named Laura Trueba in Red Queen . Suárez was born in Madrid, Spain, and got her first professional onscreen acting role as Leticia in the 1979 drama Memorias de Leticia Valle . She is best known for acting in the movies The Red Squirrel , The Mosquito Net , and Julieta .

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Fernando Guallar As Guarda Jurado Tomás: In Red Queen , Fernando Guallar plays Guarda Jurado Tomás, a security guard with information on the kidnappings. Guallar was born in Córdoba, Spain, and got his first role in 2012, playing Auxiliar Bocadillos in Aída . That actor is best known for his roles in My Heart Goes Boom! and La Ternura .

Eduardo Noriega As Jaume Soler: Eduardo Noriega plays Juame Soler throughout Red Queen . Noriega was born in Santander, Spain, and got his first role in the 1993 short film En Casa De Diego . The actor went on to star in major movies, including Vantage Point , The Last Stand , and Transsiberian .

Urko Olazábal As Inspector Parra: Throughout Red Queen , Urko Olazábal plays a police officer named Inspector Parra. Olazábal was born in Bibao, Spain, and got his first role as Intruso in the 2014 film Sapos y Culebras . He’s best known for acting in Maixabel , Wrath , and Navajete .

Selam Ortega As Ladybug: Selam Ortega plays a tattoo artist named Ladybug in Red Queen . New to the acting profession, Ortega got her first role in 2021 in the miniseries Gastón (Un Actor De Mierda) . She’s also appeared on the TV show Madres. Amor y Vida .

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These YA Thrillers Kept Us at the Edge of Our Seats

Everything You Need to Know about the Red Queen TV Series

Related books, everything we know about ‘love in taipei’, the ‘loveboat, taipei’ movie, 23 ya mystery books like ‘one of us is lying’, choose a romance trope, we’ll give you a book rec.

Rise Red as the Dawn, Scarlet Guard, because it’s finally happening! We are getting a Red Queen television series! We repeat:

👑 RED QUEEN IS BEING ADAPTED INTO A TV SERIES 👑

The streaming service Peacock has picked up the Red Queen TV series and we are absolutely losing our minds over the news! Ever since author Victoria Aveyard brought the Red Queen books into our lives we have been imagining Mare Barrow lighting up our screens with purple lightning bolts. And soon we’ll get to see her and all the other Reds and Silvers for real! We also cannot believe our luck that we have another epic Victoria Aveyard fantasy series, Realm Breaker , to escape into while we wait. Scroll down for more info about the Red Queen TV series!

Red Queen: A Peacock TV Series

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Where to Watch the Red Queen Series

Red Queen is currently in development at Peacock , the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal, as a one-hour drama series. We’ll keep you posted when a premier date is announced.

Who’s Already Attached to the Series

We’re so excited that Elizabeth Banks , who some of you may remember was previously attached to direct a Red Queen adaptation, is the Executive Producer/Director for the show and will also star in a major supporting role!

Our incredibly talented queen of fantasy Victoria Aveyard co-wrote the pilot episode along with Beth Schwartz , who worked as an executive producer/writer/showrunner for The CW’s Arrow as well as the upcoming Netflix series Sweet Tooth .

You can watch Victoria announce the TV show news on The Today Show!

Stay tuned for casting updates!

Check back soon…

Keep checking back here for more updates related to the Red Queen tv series! But in the meantime, here’s more in the world of Victoria Aveyard’s books:

Dive into an epic new fantasy with Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard!
Join the Red Queen Facebook Group
Check out our Red Queen series quizzes, recaps, and more fun content!

About Red Queen

The #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Red Queen , by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard, is a sweeping tale of power, intrigue, and betrayal, perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series.

Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction.

One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

Buy the Red Queen series!

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'Red Queen' Ending Explained: Antonia Scott pursues the mastermind amid startling revelations

Contains spoilers for 'Red Queen'

MADRID, SPAIN: 'Red Queen' , streaming on Prime Video , is a Spanish crime thriller series based on Juan Gómez-Jurado's novel.

It offers a suspenseful plot revolving around Antonia Scott (Vicky Luengo), a gifted woman with an impressive IQ of 242, who is assigned the task of solving high-profile murder and kidnapping cases.

Tension escalates dramatically when Antonia's own son is abducted amidst her investigation.

Now faced with the dual challenge of rescuing her beloved child and apprehending the perpetrators, Antonia must race against the clock to ensure justice is served before it's too late.

What happens in the climax of 'Red Queen'?

Vicky Luengo as Antonia Scott in a still from 'Red Queen' (@Prime Video)

In the finale episode of 'Red Queen', Antonia Scott and Jon Gutiérrez (Hovik Keuchkerian) explore the underground tunnels of Madrid in their attempts to rescue Carla Ortiz (Celia Freijeiro) and Jorge Scott.

Along the way, they uncover that Sandra and Nicholas Fajardo (Nacho Fresneda) have strategically placed bombs at eight key locations throughout the city.

Antonia realizes that Sandra (Andrea Trepat) has been orchestrating a sinister game, deliberately leading her to the tunnels.

Jon locates Carla and Jorge's whereabouts, just as Fajardo prepares to kill them under Sandra's orders. As he intervenes, Fajardo shoots and stabs him. Fortunately, Carla seizes the opportunity to turn the tables, saving Jon from further harm.

Meanwhile, Antonia confronts Sandra. As Jorge is freed and rushes towards his mother, Sandra holds him at gunpoint. Antonia cleverly creates a distraction and saves Jorge.

Antonia manipulates Sandra into walking over the explosive. Antonia survives the blast while Sandra appears to have been dead.

Is Sandra alive in 'Red Queen'?

Antonia and Jon make it out alive, but they learn that Sandra's body was never found at the crime scene.

Amidst the situation, Jon makes a startling revelation about Sandra's identity. Previously, they believed that Sandra and her father Fajardo faked their deaths in two different incidents and then collaborated to commit the crimes.

However, after Fajardo is killed in the climax, a DNA test is run to compare Fajardo's remains with the mortal remains from Sandra's grave.

As the sample matches, one wonders if Fajardo's daughter is already dead. Question marks are raised concerning the identity of the woman who appeared as Sandra, took Fajardo from the asylum, and manipulated him.

Who is the real mastermind in 'Red Queen'?

The season concludes on a cliffhanger. Sandra's identity and whereabouts are still unknown. Meanwhile, Antonia releases that there's a bigger game at play and Sandra is just a prophet of someone more powerful as she couldn't have planned it all by herself.

Antonia announces that Mr. White is the real mastermind, who got a brief mention in Episode 4.

Mr. White is a mysterious identity and is believed to be more intelligent than Antonia. His agenda is to destroy Antonia aka the Red Queen, and everyone she loves. His main motive in Season 1 was to kill her son and make her suffer with guilt and agony.

He is the same man who shot her husband when he showed up at their residence, dressed in a weird costume of a white monkey.

Challenges lie ahead as Antonia doesn't know who he is and has a hard time explaining that he actually exists and isn't someone imaginary. This makes us more eager for another season of 'Red Queen'.

'Red Queen' Season 1 is currently available to stream on Prime Video.

Red Queen: Where is the TV Show Filmed? Is it a Fiction?

Created by Amaya Muruzabal, Amazon Prime’s ‘Red Queen’ is a Spanish-Mexican thriller series that focuses on the adventures of the most intelligent person in the world with an IQ of 242 — Antonia Scott. An integral part of a secret and experimental police project, Antonia joins forces with a Basque gay police officer named Jon Gutiérrez. After seeing murder at her home and the kidnapping of a wealthy heiress, Antonia and Jon work together as she becomes a part of a game.

Featuring stellar performances from a talented ensemble cast, comprising Vicky Luengo, Hovik Keuchkerian, Celia Freijeiro, Nacho Fresneda, and José Ángel Egido. Due to the gripping plot and mesmerizing visuals in the backdrop through each episode of ‘Red Queen,’ originally titled ‘Reina Roja,’ viewers are bound to question the authenticity of the story as well as the filming locations where the action unfolds.

Red Queen is Filmed in Spain

The entirety of the production of ‘Red Queen’ is carried out in the beautiful country of Spain, located on the extreme southwestern edge of Europe. The inaugural season of the thriller series was filmed over a period of nearly six months, commencing on August 16, 2022, and concluding in late January 2023. From the looks of it, the cast and crew had a lot of fun and created lasting memories while producing the first-ever installment of the Amazon Prime production.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Koldo Serra (@koldo_serra)

Madrid, Spain

Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is a major shooting site for the show. For the purpose of filming, the production team visits several areas in the vibrant city and utilizes multiple locations that serve as appropriate backdrops that support the creation of the gritty criminal world of the intense detective series. In particular, the taping of several sequences takes place in and around the railway stations of Chamartín, Noviciado, and Goya, named after Spanish printmaker Francisco Goya.

In addition, a few scenes are lensed at Chamberi station, also known as a ghost station, as it was officially shut down in 1966. It now works as an entrance museum but trains continue to pass through the defunct station and if you pay close attention, you can still catch a glimpse when the train rushes between Bilbao and Iglesia.

Toledo, Spain

A portion of ‘Red Queen’ is also recorded in the historical city of Toledo in the southcentral part of Spain. Located over 42 miles from Madrid, the ancient city lies in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha and is a pure representation of Spanish culture. Often referred to as the City of the Three Cultures, the monuments in the area reflect the cultural diversity and influence resulting from the contribution of the Christians, Muslims, and Jew populations that have inhabited the land over the decades. Its yesteryear layout and rich history are some of the reasons it is ideal for serving as a shooting site for the thriller series.

Red Queen is Based on the Eponymous Novel

‘Red Queen’ is an adaptation of Spanish journalist and author Juan Gómez-Jurado’s bestselling novel of the same name. The 2022 award-winning book is the first part of the serial killer thriller trilogy that has been developed for the screen by Amaya Muruzábal and Salvador Perpiñá. While the storylines of the show and the book are seemingly figments of the creative and realistic imaginations of the writers, certain characters are direct inspirations from specific sources.

Talking about the inspiration for Antonia Scott’s character in ‘Red Queen’ with Hindustan Times, Juan Gómez-Jurado revealed that the characters of Antonia and Jon were derived from Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. He explained , “Antonia is that idealistic being, she does not hesitate to face the windmills, because she believes in a better world. Jon, on the other hand, is that pragmatist who has a dreamer hidden inside of him. They are very layered characters and I intentionally kept their sketches subtle because usually these things go unnoticed in a thriller and we go at full speed. But each and every word I’ve used to describe them has been chosen carefully.”

As far as the process of researching for the creation of the book was concerned, Juan reportedly referred to the forensic work of the Spanish police. He also said that for a particular chapter, he got in touch with some experts in bomb disposal. Besides that, he refused to provide more details to not give away any spoilers. While the fact that ‘Red Queen’ is a work of fiction remains, it is worth mentioning that the works of Juan’s favorite authors, including Patricia Highsmith, Dumas, Follett, Arthur Conan Doyle, Gillian Flynn, and Aravind Adiga, serve as inspiration for him to weave the intriguing tales of crime thrillers.