AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Dave EinselNetflix is tackling one of the biggest pop stars ever: Selena Quintanilla. The streaming platform announced Selena: The Series, which will be a scripted TV show, developed alongside and executive produced by the Quintanilla family.
"Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives. We are excited to partner with Campanario and Netflix to give fans a never-before-seen glimpse at our story and highlight why Selena will remain a legend for generations to come." Suzette Quintanilla, sister of Selena Quintanilla, said in a statement.
The teaser trailer below is simple and calls out one of Selena's biggest singles "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom." No casting or premiere date was announced by the streaming platform. Jaime Dávila, Rico Martinez, Suzette Quintanilla, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., and Simran A. Singh serve as executive producers. Moisés Zamora of Star and American Crime is writer and executive producer.
The official description from Netflix reads, "A coming of age story following Selena as her dreams come true and all the heart-wrenching and life-changing choices she and her family have to make as they navigate success, family, and music." The length is listed as a two-part limited series.
"Selena and the entire Quintanilla family are an inspiration to many and especially to me, a millennial of the same heritage. Selena's career achievements are legendary, but our scripted series will focus on the incredible story of a Mexican-American family and how an extraordinary young woman transcended categories and borders to become a global star. I can't imagine a better partner than Netflix to celebrate Selena and her family's lives." Jaime Dávila, president of Campanario Entertainment, said in a statement.
The story of Selena's life and death at the hands of her manager Yolanda Saldívar has been told before. Jennifer Lopez starred in the film, Selena, released in 1997, two years after the singer's death. Selena Forever, a stage musical based on the movie was mounted, but failed to complete the multi-city tour.
Selena's Entre a Mi Mundo is considered her breakthrough album. Selena Live! Won Best Mexican/American Album at the 1994 Grammys.
Following shady dealings, including embezzlement, Saldívar was fired from the team in 1995. However, Saldívar refused to turn over financial papers and during a confrontation, shot Selena.
In 2017, Selena received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
See the teaser above.