Earlier this month, Deadline learned that Esai Morales, fresh off playing a villain in back-to-back Mission: Impossible movies, had landed the lead role in the border thriller Coyote. Now, Deadline reports that Morales is joined in the cast by Lethal Weapon legend Mel Gibson and Renata Notni of the Prime Video Zorro series.
Coyote marks the feature debut of director Per Prinz, who also wrote the screenplay with Adam J. Goldstein. Morales takes on the role of Hernán Barroca, a weathered ex-smuggler pulled back into the dangerous world he thought he had left behind. When Hernán helps Julia and her young daughter, Maribel, navigate treacherous borderlands, their desperate journey triggers the wrath of a ruthless trafficking syndicate. As the past and present collide—with U.S. Border Patrol agent Bradley joining the pursuit—Hernán must rely on his cunning and grit to survive and find redemption.
Gibson plays Jack Bradley, “a weathered U.S. Army Sergeant and father of Border Patrol agent Liz Bradley.” Notni portrays Julia, “a mother fighting to get her daughter to safety, as she ventures through the borderlands between the U.S. and Mexico.”
The producers are Scott Smith of Fire Tiger Studios, Hamid and Camille Torabpour of Winter State Entertainment, and Morales and his Richport Entertainment. Smith told Deadline, “This is a story we’ve been building for years—one that reaches for redemption and hope. Our goal is to tell a story that’s both urgent and deeply human.“
Prinz had this to say about his cast members: “Hernán is the perfect role for Esai, an exceptionally powerful actor able to switch gears and play a conflicted, broken man on a journey to salvation. It’s a story of hope and resilience. Working with Mel, I immediately recognized his legendary passion for filmmaking. He brings an unmatched intensity and artistry, always striving for authenticity and truth in every scene. He cares deeply about the power of story, but what stands out most is the way he elevates those around him. His insight, generosity, kindness and commitment inspire the entire team to deliver their very best. From the moment we first met Renata, it was undeniable—she was destined to play Julia. And when the cameras rolled on her very first scene, it became clear that only she could embody this character with such power and grace.“
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