‘Narcos: Mexico’ Renewed for Season 3 at Netflix, Wagner Moura to Direct Multiple Episodes

Joe Otterson

28 October 2020 at 9:59 am·2-min read

“Narcos: Mexico” has been renewed for Season 3 at Netflix.

Along with the renewal, Netflix announced that Wagner Moura — who played Pablo Escobar in the first two seasons of “Narcos” — will board Season 3 in order to direct two episodes of the season.

In addition, series showrunner Eric Newman will exit that role after five seasons and turn things over to series co-creator Carlos Bernard.

“I am grateful for my five years at the helm of ‘Narcos’ and ‘Narcos: Mexico’ and am immensely proud of what this spectacular team has achieved with these shows,” Newman said. “Carlo Bernard is the first person I ever spoke to about this project, over ten years ago, and I am extremely pleased to leave the steering of Season 3 of ‘Narcos: Mexico’ in his very capable hands.”

Originally intended as a fourth season of “Narcos,” which focused on the rise of the cocaine business in Colombia under Escobar and his Medellín Cartel, “Narcos: Mexico” became a new series, shifting the focus to the beginnings of the Mexican drug trade. Season 2 was released earlier this year in February.

Season 3 will examine the war that breaks out after Felix’s empire splinters. As newly independent cartels struggle to survive political upheaval and escalating violence, a new generation of Mexican kingpins emerge.

Returning cast for Season 3 includes: Scoot McNairy, Jose Maria Yazpik, Alberto Ammann, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Hermosillo, Matt Letscher, Manuel Masalva, Alejandro Edda, and Gorka Lasaosa. Star of the first two seasons Diego Luna will not be returning for the third edition.

Newman will remain an executive producer on the series. He is currently under an overall deal with Netflix on both the feature side and the television side. His current slate includes the previously announced opioid TV drama “Painkiller,” “Escape From Spiderhead” starring Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller and “The Upper World” starring Daniel Kaluuya.

Bernard and Jose Padilha are also executive producers on “Narcos: Mexico” along with Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Nicolas Atlan, Doug Miro, and Andrés Baiz. Along with Moura, Andi Baiz, Alejandra Marquez, Luis Ortega, Leonardo D’Antoni, and Amat Escalante are attached to direct. Gaumont Television produces.

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