Netflix premieres 'Facing El Chapo': The true story behind Mexico's high-stakes crime thriller
- By Zaeem Basir -
- Aug 23, 2026
Netflix has expanded its Latin American crime library with Facing El Chapo (originally titled La Captura), a fast-paced thriller depicting the real-life arrest of drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Directed by Chava Cartas, the 91-minute Mexican film centers on two everyday federal police officers who accidentally apprehend the cartel leader during a routine traffic stop, triggering a desperate fight for survival.
Unlike previous media centered on cartel boss perspectives, Facing El Chapo shifts the camera entirely to the law enforcement officers caught in an extraordinary situation:
The Incident: While on routine patrol in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Officers Arturo Carmona and Héctor Rosales pull over a stolen vehicle—only to discover that the driver is Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, escaping through city sewers following a military raid.
The Standoff: Knowing cartel enforcers are hunting for their boss, the officers hold Guzmán in a local roadside motel while fending off assassination threats and bribery attempts until military reinforcements arrive.
Based on Real-Life Investigative Journalism
The screenplay—written by Bernardo Esquinca—is adapted directly from two seminal 2016 El Universal investigative reports by Mexican journalist Héctor de Mauleón:
- “Cómo atrapamos al Chapo” (How We Caught El Chapo)
- “Veinte minutos a solas con El Chapo” (Twenty Minutes Alone with El Chapo)
By focusing strictly on de Mauleón’s documented reporting, the film delivers a documentary-style tension that emphasizes the fear, corruption, and split-second decisions surrounding Guzmán’s final recapture.
Cast & Production Details
Produced by Draco Films and filmed on location in Chihuahua, Mexico, the movie stars established talent across Mexican television and cinema.
“Facing El Chapo (La Captura)” is set to premiere worldwide on Netflix on August 21, 2026.
Directed by Chava Cartas, the film has a runtime of 91 minutes.
It stars Alfonso Herrera as Carmona, Noé Hernández as Rosales, and Héctor Kotsifakis as El Chapo.
The movie dives into the high-stakes story behind the capture, and it’s dropping globally on Netflix next year.