El Tigre creator and Book of Life art director Jorge R. Gutiérrez is known for creating Mexico-inspired hero stories for children and teenagers. His latest pitch, El Guapo vs. The Narco Vampires, now extends into adult animation. The official subtext describes his WIP concept in a wrestling announcer’s voice, “Welcome to a Mexploitation Mextravaganza! A hilariously violent and action-packed tale of death, redemption, tequila, and more death!” So how did Gutiérrez come up with the idea, and how did its animatic end up on YouTube?
El Guapo Was Suggested to del Toro
Animation Magazine reported that El Guapo vs. The Narco Vampires was pitched to Gutiérrez’s colleague, film producer Guillermo del Toro. The fellow creative has a deep love for action and horror. His passion led to acclaimed films like Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Pacific Rim. Del Toro previously worked alongside Gutiérrez as an executive producer for The Book of Life and Netflix’s Maya and the Three.
When the El Tigre creative pitched his luchador-vampire-hunter cartoon, he hoped the Mexico-native filmmaker could produce it. Instead, del Toro encouraged him should publish his work online.
“I had this crazy and super personal idea since my CalArts days, back in the mid-’90s,” he told Animation Magazine, “I grew up in my beloved and chaotic Tijuana in that era, and things were pretty wild. A few years ago, I pitched it to Guillermo del Toro as my first live-action film since I didn’t think anyone in animation would let me make it. He laughed and told me to figure out how to get it into animation since live action could never make what I imagined.”
El Guapo Feels Like An R-rated El Tigre
El Guapo vs. The Narco Vampires shares theming and inspirational similarities to its predecessor, El Tigre. The Nickelodeon show featured protagonist Manny Rivera, who constantly struggles between the path of heroism and villainy.
This is related to the family’s lineage with his father, White Panterra (Rodolfo Rivera), on the side of righteousness, while his grandfather, Puma Loco (Jorge Rivera), is on the side of chaos. Each episode features Manny getting into trouble that brings him closer to becoming a villain. He comes to his subconsciousness after realizing his wrongful actions affect him and his loved ones negatively.
In El Guapo, the audience follows the story of Judas. Gutiérrez voiced him in the pilot animatic, providing the narration and raunchy personality. Instead of deciding between good and evil, Judas is considered the handsome devil who constantly finds himself in danger. His brother, José, is portrayed as a saint, for his wrestling name is El Angel, and he helps his wife, Maria, at an orphanage. The story takes place in the fictional version of Gutiérrez’s hometown, Tijuana.
Tijuana is portrayed as a city that is mostly overrun by the drug cartel known as the Narco Vampires. Because of their influence, civilians are swayed by favors into committing crimes. El Guapo does not hold back its bloody violence, profanity, illegal drugs, and nudity. Drawing on his childhood, Gutiérrez portrayed the city as a dog-eat-dog world. And for one night, Judas himself in an inescapable poker bet against Don Dracula’s henchman, Chupi. He lost the bet and is forced to throw the championship match against the Killer Calvera Bros.
While José prevented the loss without being acknowledged, he unfortunately lost his life to Chupi’s minions to dismantle the stadium screen. Judas attempted to save him, but his brother did not allow him to. He tried a second time when he was killed and summoned to Hell. José traveled from Heaven to rescue his soul, for it was not his time to die. Judas, now revived by the orphanage, seeks redemption to provide for Maria, his nephew, Jesús, and the orphanage.
How Did El Guapo Get into Vampire Hunting?
While José prevented the loss without being acknowledged, he unfortunately lost his life to Chupi’s minions to dismantle the stadium screen. Judas attempted to save him, but his brother did not allow him to. He tried a second time when he was killed and summoned to Hell. José traveled from Heaven to rescue his soul, for it was not his time to die. Judas, now revived by the orphanage, seeks redemption to provide for Maria, his nephew, Jesús, and the orphanage.
Taking her shelter in a mausoleum, he eventually learns that she is a dhampyr, a human who is half-vampire. Mags explained to Judas that she seeks to end Don Dracula’s life after he converted her mother during her pregnancy. They actually first met at a Tijuana nightclub, where the wrestler fell in love with her fighting ability. Both get into vampire hunting after the three-roach nun informed them that they are prophesied to destroy the Narco Vampires.
The animatics intro showcased others who will be the pair’s allies or foes. There’s the ancient warrior Momia Mia, the abomination Franken Rudo, the wolf-woman Loba Loca, the sea monster Don Laguna, and the goat sucker El Chupa Cabra. The pilot animatic is available on Gutiérrez’s YouTube channel, waiting for a network or an indie studio to pick up the pitch.
