Of all things, we’re getting a biopic about the guy who createdFlamin' Hot Cheetos, and Eva Longoria is going to direct it. We first learned that the story of the beloved snack food was getting the big screen treatment back in February 2018, and it will be titledFlamin' Hot. There really hasn’t been a peep about it since and, given the merger between Disney/Fox back in March, this might have been one of the many projects that ended up on the scrap heap. Instead, today we have news that Fox Searchlight is pressing forward with the project and Longoria will be the one to bring it to life.
According to a new report, formerDesperate Housewivesstar and directorEva Longoriabeat out several other filmmakers for the chance to tell the tale of Richard Montanez, the man who created the spicy Cheetos spin-off. She pitched her approach to producer DeVon Franklin and the brass at Fox Searchlight, and they like what she had to offer. It isn’t clear who else was up for the job, but it’s said Longoria was in the mix with several other filmmakers.
Richard Montanez started out as a farmworker before starting his career as a janitor at the Frito-Lay company, the snack maker behindCheetos. Montanez was the son of a Mexican immigrant and came up with the idea for Flamin' Hot Cheetos while still working as a janitor. The idea took off like wildfire and revitalized the company. The creation is known as the “Godfather of Multicultural Marketing” and helped spark what is now a billion-dollar brand. Montanez has since become a major corporate executive. All of this to say, there’s a lot more to this story than a well-liked snack food.
As for Eva Longoria, she’s known best as an actress, with a career that spans 20 years, dating back to her days onThe Young and the Restless. Longoria most recently appeared inDora and the Lost City of Gold, but her directing career has been quietly taking off. Not only has she helmed episodes of acclaimed shows such asBlack-IshandJane the Virgin, she’s also attached to direct24/7for Universal Pictures, which has Kerry Washington set to star. Longoria is also producing several projects through her company Unbelievable Entertainment.
The screenplay forFlamin Hot’was written by Lewis Colick, who previously penned movies such asOctober SkyandCharlie St. Cloud. He’s proven that he knows his way around a biopic. At present, there is no word on who may star as Richard Montanez, nor is it clear just how quickly production could begin. With a director now firmly in place, the studio will surely start thinking about casting while putting the other pieces of the puzzle in place. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details on the very intriguing project come to light. This news comes to us viaDeadline.
