Telemundo’s La Reina del Sur on Antenna 3.

Telemundo and Antena 3 signed an agreement for exclusive distribution rights in Spain of the telenovela “La Reina del Sur.” Telemundo will produce and distribute the telenovela based on Arturo Perez-Reverte’s critically acclaimed novel, and Antena 3 will have exclusive distribution rights in Spain. Antena 3 is considering scheduling this mega-production as part of its primetime line-up.

 “We are delighted to team up with Antena 3, a leading broadcaster in Spain, to launch La Reina del Sur,” said Marcos Santana, President, Telemundo Internacional. “This project is a win-win for both companies and speaks volumes about the international reputation and quality of Telemundo’s original content.”

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement that allows us to work with a leading company like Telemundo,” added Javier Bardají, General Director, Antena 3. “With ‘La Reina del Sur,’ Antena 3 intends to further expand its extensive catalog of fiction and offer the viewer products that combine the highest quality with the greatest appeal to the audience.”

“La Reina del Sur” tells the story of Teresa Mendoza, a Mexican woman who becomes the reigning drug trafficker in Spain. Renowned actress Kate Del Castillo will play the leading role.

Patricio Wills, President, Telemundo Studios, said, “The perfect alignment of this story, with Kate del Castillo and now Antena 3 reminds me of one thing Teresa Mendoza used to say: it’s a small world!”

Telemundo’s production, beginning this summer in Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, is scheduled to have around 70 episodes. Antena 3 will air a 13-episode version that Telemundo will specially adapt for the Spanish market.

“La Reina del Sur” spans 12 years across different continents and weaves the story of the legendary character Teresa Mendoza. The story follows Teresa, whose drug-running lover has given her a special cell phone. He has told her that if the phone rings, it means he has been killed and Teresa is the next target. The call eventually comes, and Teresa is forced to transform herself from a young innocent girl to a woman tough enough to survive in the ugly and dangerous world of narcotic drug trafficking. The woman who emerges surprises even those who know her legend, that of the Queen of the South.