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Forbes
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Insane True Story Behind ‘A Widow's Game'—Where Is The Real Maje Now?
LA VIUDA NEGRA. Ivana Baquero as Maje in LA VIUDA NEGRA. Netflix's latest crime thriller A Widow's Game has climbed to the No. 1 spot on the platform after its May 30 release. Viewers may be surprised to learn that the movie is inspired by one of the most shocking true crimes in Spain's history. Read on to learn more about the real-life case involving manipulation, infidelity and murder. From director Carlos Sedes (The Asunta Case), the film takes place in August 2017, when a dead body is discovered in a parking lot in Valencia, Spain, with several stab wounds. The victim is Arturo Ferrer Puig, a newlywed who had been married to a young woman named Maje for less than a year. Skilled homicide detective Eva is assigned to the case and soon realizes that Maje's story has holes – and all signs point to a crime of passion. 'Why does a person consider that it is better to commit a murder than to get divorced? This was the question that assailed me when I first read the news about Maje and Salvador's crime," executive producer Ramón Campos said in a statement to Netflix. 'Over the years we have been trying to unravel the answer and we think we have understood, but not understood, why Maje decided to manipulate Salvador to murder a person who was undoubtedly a good person. Because this film is not about the victim. It is about the murderers. Because sometimes the answer to our actions lies not in who we are, but where we come from,' he continued. "A Widow's Game" on Netflix Yes, Netflix's film A Widow's Game is based on a real-life true crime case from Valencia, Spain, known as La Viuda Negra de Patraix, which translates to 'The Black Widow of Patraix' in English. The character of Maje is based on María Jesús Moreno, while her late husband, Arturo, was inspired by 35-year-old Antonio Navarro. The man who carried out the crime was Maje's boyfriend, Salvador Rodrigo. LA VIUDA NEGRA. Ivana Baquero as Maje, Tristán Ulloa as Salva in LA VIUDA NEGRA. María Jesús Moreno was 27 years old at the time of her late husband's murder. According to the Spanish magazine La Razón, Maje was raised in a religious family and was one of five siblings. She met Antonio while she was studying nursing. He was attending the same university as her brother and often visited the house. They officially started dating in 2011, when she was 21 and he was 30. The couple moved into an apartment in Valencia, located in the Patraix neighborhood. She was employed at Casa de la Salud Hospital, while he worked at the El Rebollar Road Maintenance Center. The magazine reported that even before they tied the knot on Sept. 3, 2016, Maje was 'unfaithful' to her husband. Allegedly, her relationship with a physiotherapist got back to Antonio. He was about to call off the wedding, but she managed to convince him that he was the love of her life. LA VIUDA NEGRA. Tristán Ulloa as Salva, Ivana Baquero as Maje in LA VIUDA NEGRA. Salvador Rodrigo, who also worked at Maje's hospital, became involved in a romantic relationship with her. He was 20 years her senior, married, and the father of a daughter in her late twenties. La Razón reported that Salvador and Maje met in secret, exchanged letters, and that he attempted to leave his family to be with her. She allegedly continued seeing Salvador after her wedding to Antonio and was involved in several other extramarital affairs. LA VIUDA NEGRA. Tristán Ulloa as Salva in LA VIUDA NEGRA. According to La Razón, after a lunch date at Salvador's country home in Ribarroja, Maje told Salvador that her husband was psychologically abusing her. She reportedly told her boyfriend that she wanted to see her husband dead. They crafted a meticulous plan and determined that the best way to kill Antonio would be in the garage on a day that was convenient for both of their jobs. Salvador later confessed that before the killing, he started to become nervous. He allegedly expressed his hesitations to Maje, like not wanting to kill a man he didn't even know, but she allegedly pressured him to carry out the crime, the magazine reported. LA VIUDA NEGRA. Tristán Ulloa as Salva in LA VIUDA NEGRA. At 7:30 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 16, 2017, as Antonio was leaving for work, Salvador hid in the couple's building garage, according to TIME. He was armed with a 15 cm kitchen knife. When Antonio came down, Salvador attacked him and stabbed him to death, piercing his lungs and heart. He discarded the murder weapon in a cesspit on his property and disposed of his bloody clothes. He then met with Maje, who had not been at the apartment during the crime. That's when Maje began playing the role of the grieving widow—including reading a farewell letter at Antonio's funeral, per La Razón. LA VIUDA NEGRA. Pablo Molinero as Turrientes, Carmen Machi as Eva, Pepe Ocio as Bernardo in LA VIUDA ... More NEGRA. After police weren't convinced that robbery was the motive for the killing, investigators began to focus on Maje. They tapped her phone and discovered a message to a friend in which she admitted feeling liberated after Antonio's death and said she was now collecting his €1,100 pension, La Razón reported. Now under surveillance, Maje called Salvador for the first time since the murder on Nov. 8, 2017, and they had one of many incriminating conversations. On Jan. 2, they met in person to discuss what she would say if the police questioned her again. Ten days later, Maje and Salvador were arrested in January 2018. While Salvador tried to take full responsibility for the murder, he changed his story after learning that Maje was romantically seeing another inmate while in custody. 'In my previous statement, I said it was all my idea. But it was both of us,' Salvador said in a recording played end of A Widow's Game. Salvador's defense claimed that he was the victim of the obsessive love he felt for Maje. He also alleged that Maje portrayed herself as a victim of psychological and physical abuse. According to TIME, she also said that if her husband died, she wouldn't have to go through a divorce, which meant she could still receive a widow's pension and inheritance. Meanwhile, Maje denied any involvement in her husband's death. Despite the growing evidence against her – including phone calls, incriminating text messages, and witness testimonies – Maje said she believed Salvador was only fantasizing about what he was going to do to Antonio. In October 2020, a jury found both Maje and Salvador guilty. Maje was sentenced to 22 years in prison for murder with the aggravating circumstance of kinship. Salvador was sentenced to 17 years in prison, and both were ordered to pay €250,000 (approximately $280,000) in damages to Antonio's family. Maje is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence at Fontcalent Prison in Alicante, Spain. She became pregnant by another inmate, and in July 2023, gave birth in police custody. She is now residing in the prison's mother-child unit, where she can stay with her baby until the child turns three, per TIME. As for the identity of the baby's father – his name is David, a prisoner convicted of a 2008 murder. They reportedly met while she was serving time at Picassent Prison. A Widow's Game is now streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans hail 'cream of the crop' British crime thriller as 'pure greatness' - binge-watching every episode and begging for second series
Netflix fans have hailed a 'cream of the crop' British crime thriller as 'pure greatness' after binge-watching every episode just days after its release. The Scottish drama, titled Dept Q, sees cranky detective Carl Morck, played by Matthew Goode, attempt to solve Edinburgh 's cold cases from a shabby office. The nine-part series also features The Queen's Gambit's Chloe Pirrie and Guilt star Jamie Sives. The new series has proved to be a hit with fans, climbing the charts and racking up an impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 81% rating. Fans have taken to social media with praise as one posted to X: 'Dept Q on Netflix is such a good crime thriller. Matthew Goode's acting was next level! I hope they make season 2 of this series.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The Scottish drama, titled Dept Q, sees cranky detective Carl Morck, played by Matthew Goode (pictured), attempt to solve Edinburgh's cold cases from a shabby office Another rated it five stars and penned: 'Binge watch recommendation - Dept Q (Netflix) Scottish crime series based in Edinburgh - thank me later.' 'Just finished watching DEPT. Q on Netflix highly recommend it,' someone else gushed. While a fourth penned: 'Dept. Q is exceptionally good! Absolutely great series! please bring back more seasons. Reminds me of #truedetective.' 'I gotta say, when it comes to detective shows, the British are cream of the crop. This new show on @netflix called #DeptQ is pure greatness,' someone else said. One fan added: 'I need the season 2 for #DeptQ like right now!!!' 'Binge watching #DeptQ it is sooooo good, one more episode to go,' another penned. Dept Q impressed the Mail's Christopher Stevens too, who rated the series four out of five stars and raved over the 'explosive plot twists'. As viewers watch a rugged Goode making darkly comical quips onscreen in the detective drama, some may recognise the tall, dark and handsome figure from his countless other roles in TV and film during his illustrious career - in which he is, more often than not, perfectly groomed. The new series has proved to be a hit with fans who have taken to social media to rave about it and has reportedly climbed the charts Among Goode's many acting credits are the dashing Henry Talbot, race car driver and love interest of Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey. He also won hearts in The Crown as society photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon in the second season of the biographical drama series, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. The British heartthrob has been busy working on varying roles throughout the years, from cult horror hit Stoker to The Imitation Game and even dabbling in vampire fantasy with A Discovery of Witches in 2018. Stream Dept Q on Netflix now.
Geek Tyrant
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Release Date Revealed For Netflix Film THE RIP Starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck — GeekTyrant
Netflix has revealed the release date for their upcoming crime thriller, The RIP , starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. It also stars Teyana Taylor and Sasha Calle, and is written and directed by Joe Carnahan with Artists Equity producing. The film will be released on January 16, 2026. The streamer also debuted a sneak peek, though it was for the room only. The RIP follows a group of Miami cops whose trust begins to fray after they discover millions in cash in a derelict stash house. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on. Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran of Artists Equity exec produced. After launching Artists Equity in November 2022, Damon and Affleck released the company's first film, Air, in spring 2023 to strong reviews and a solid box office performance. Since then, it has produced the documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told for Amazon MGM Studios and Small Things Like These , which opened this year's Berlin Film Festival and won the Silver Bear for supporting actress Emily Watson. Recent releases include Apple's The Instigators starring Damon, while the Amazon MGM pic Unstoppable is gearing for a December premiere after its debut at TIFF. via: Deadline
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Robert De Niro Dud ‘The Alto Knights' Gets Max Streaming Premiere Date
Robert De Niro in "The Alto Knights." The Alto Knights— Robert De Niro's crime thriller that flopped in theaters — will soon look for a new audience on streaming on Max. Rated R, The Alto Knights opened in theaters on March 21 before shifting to digital streaming via premium video on demand on April 11. De Niro plays identical twins in The Alto Knights, which was directed by Barry Levinson. The film also stars Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci and Michael Rispoli. The official summary for The Alto Knights reads, 'The film follows two of New York's most notorious organized crime bosses, Frank Costello (De Niro) and Vito Genovese (De Niro), as they vie for control of the city's streets. "Once the best of friends, petty jealousies and a series of betrayals place them on a deadly collision course that will reshape the mafia (and America) forever.' Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment announced Friday that The Alto Knights will arrive on Max on Friday, June 6, and debut on HBO Linear on Saturday, June 7, at 8 p.m. ET. Max offers three streaming packages. An ad-based package costs $9.99 per month, an ad-free package is $16.99 per month and an ad-free package that includes 4K Ultra HD programming is $20.99 per month. The Alto Knights had a rough run in theaters, earning $6.1 million domestically and $3.4 million internationally for a worldwide box office gross of $9.5 million against a $45 million budget before prints and advertising costs, according to The Numbers. The Robert De Niro star vehicle was splattered with negative reviews from Rotten Tomatoes critics, who collectively gave the film a 39% 'rotten' rating based on 136 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, 'A competent but tired retread of mob movie tropes, The Alto Knights pits De Niro vs. De Niro with no real victor emerging.' The Alto Knights was better received by audiences, however, who gave the film a 71% 'fresh' Popcornmeter score based on 500-plus verified user ratings. The audience summary on RT for the film reads, 'Prioritizing drama over action, The Alto Knights works as a somewhat enjoyable pastiche of mob films.' The Alto Knights, starring Robert De Niro, arrives on streaming on Max on June 6 and premieres on HBO linear on June 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
Geek Tyrant
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Theo James Replaces Adrien Brody in S. Craig Zahler's 1950s Gangster Epic THE BOOKIE AND THE BRUISER — GeekTyrant
Theo James is cashing in on his hot streak. Following his appearance in The White Lotus and leading roles in The Gentlemen , The Monkey , and the upcoming Fuze , the actor is stepping into the gritty gangster film The Bookie & the Bruiser . James will replace Adrien Brody, taking over the lead role of Rivner, a brooding Jewish WWII vet-turned-bookie, in the 1959 New York-set crime thriller from writer-director S. Craig Zahler, the filmmaker behind cult favorites like Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99 . James will star opposite Vince Vaughn, who plays 'an oversized Italian American tough named Boscolo. Having served in World War II, the two return as changed men, no longer fitting into their old lives. 'Unwilling to take orders or play by the rules of polite society, the two partner up as a bookmaker and his enforcer and run an illicit gambling operation that proves highly profitable — but dangerous. 'Their operation thrives until they're caught in a violent power struggle between the Mafia and an Irish gang, forcing them into a violent fight for survival.' With its 1950s New York backdrop, morally fractured protagonists, and Zahler's signature taste for slow-burn tension and unflinching violence, it seems like it'll be a great character-driven movie about the descent into underworld chaos. Source: Variety
