Photo: courtesy of Netflix
Narcos season four was given the green light way back in 2016, when season two had only just been released, but recently it looked uncertain as to whether the series would make it to production, after the tragic death of a location scout. Carlos Muñoz Portal was shot and killed whilst scouting locations for the fourth series of Netflix’s hit show, which is relocating from Colombia to Mexico, and his murder cast doubt on the safety of the whole production.
The past twelve years has seen the rapid escalation of violence in Mexico, after the Mexican military started fighting the organised crime linked to the infamous drug cartels. The country’s murder rate is at an all-time high, averaging 70 a day, and the violence is arguably more out of control than it was in Colombia under Pablo Escobar’s reign. This latest series of Narcos is set to explore how the Mexican drug trade opened up once the Colombian cartels had been shut down, and how the Mexican cartels became some of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organisations on the planet.
Netflix have confirmed that Narcos will definitely be back this year, despite safety concerns, and they have also announced that Diego Luna and Michael Peña will be the stars.
Photo: courtesy of Netflix
The fourth season is going back in time to the 1980s, when the drug cartels in Mexico first went into business, which seems to confirm what was heavily hinted at in the finale of season three – that Pedro Pascal would not be returning to reprise his role as DEA agent Javier Peña.
Or does it? Showrunner Eric Newman has been a little evasive on the question of Pedro Pascal’s return, saying that this series is “not about him” and that “he still hasn’t made up his mind about whether he wants to come back”. The drug cartels in Mexico did do business with their Colombian counterparts, so there is a possibility of a brief cameo by Javier Peña.
New star Michael Peña will be playing Kiki Camarena, an undercover agent who moves from California to Mexico on an assignment to uncover intel on Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, known as Félix, who will be played by Diego Luna. Gallardo is credited with founding the Mexican drug trade, and is one of the most famous narcos in history.
Photo: courtesy of Netflix
The rumor is that Narcos will return later in the year, possibly September. Check out the trailer below.
