Televisa USA Tackles Aztec Family Saga with ‘Luck of Huemac’

Televisa USA has recruited showrunner Michael Chernuchin to develop an English-language drama series based on the novel “The Luck of Huemac,” about the end of the Aztec civilization.

The project aims to depict the Spanish invasion in the pre-Columbian era from the perspective of an Aztec family. “Huemac,” based on the 1981 novel by Daniel Peters, is designed for a multi-ethnic cast.

Chernuchin, a season showunner, is coming off recent stints on Netflix’s “Marco Polo” and Starz’s “Black Sails.” Past credits include “Law & Order.”

Atalaya Prods. has partnered with Televisa USA on “Huemac.” The company, based in Santa Fe, N.M. and London, specializes in financing and producing historical dramas. Atalaya’s Giovanni Orlando and Irene Webb are serving as exec producers. David Sigurani, Televisa USA’s director of development, found and packaged the project for the U.S. production arm of Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa.

‘The team we assembled is perfect to bring this shockingly tragic cultural tale to TV in an authentic and respectful way,” said Chris Philip, Televisa USA’s head of production and distribution.

Televisa USA has been building up its scripted production over the past year with a slate that now includes the upcoming “Maleficio” for Starz and development projects “Duality,” starring Dougray Scott and “Gran Hotel,” written by Stephen Kronish.