Mercedes Ron’s bestselling YA novel is now being adapted for the screen, and the first of two planned films, Drawn Together, premiered Wednesday across more than 240 countries and territories. The romantic thriller marks Prime Video’s latest entry into the genre, with the author herself hoping it finds favor with her existing readership.
Óscar Pedraza directs a story about a wealthy Spanish businessman’s daughter, Marfil Cortés, played by Ester Expósito. She lives in New York City until she is taken, forcing her father to hire bodyguard Sebastián Moore, played by Hugo Diego Garcia, to keep her safe. The two develop a strong mutual attraction while facing numerous dangers back in Spain.
The release extends what Banijay’s Pokeepsie Films and Amazon have built around Ron’s work, a slate the companies have dubbed the “House of Ron.” Her Culpables trilogy adaptations became the most-watched Spanish and international original for Prime Video, with a combined 100 million views worldwide as of the summer.
Ron on What Makes ‘Drawn Together’ Different
Ron argues that the story represents a notable departure from her earlier screen adaptations. Her second novel, Drawn Together, was published with the intention of standing apart from the My Fault series.
“I think this story is more mature, more adult,” Ron told THR. “It has a lot of action in it, and the story is more complex.”
She called the book a challenge and said fans have responded strongly. “I’m really happy that a lot of people who have read all of my books have said, ‘This is your best book.'”
The pressure from that praise did not scare her off the adaptation. “I think it was the best book to take to screen because of all the action components, all the thriller [elements] and the darkness and everything else,” she said. “And I think the movie turned out really, really, really good.”
Casting Chemistry With Ester Expósito
Expósito was a target for Ron from the very beginning of Drawn Together, with the filmmaker keeping a close hand in both casting and the writing of the film.
“I knew that I wanted Ester in the movie to play Marfil,” Ron said. “She was amazing. I talked to Prime Video and asked, ‘Can we have Ester? Can you talk to her? Maybe she could be interested in doing this movie.'”
Expósito, known for Elite and The Wailing, said yes.
Finding Sebastián in Hugo Diego Garcia
After Sebastián went missing, the investigation eventually pointed toward Garcia, a character who shows up in both Death and Other Details and The Substance.
“When we saw that, we knew straight away that he was Sebastián.”
Ron credited Garcia’s real-life combat skills as a bonus. “He is an amazing actor; he’s good-looking, and he knows how to fight in real life,” she said. The chemistry between the two leads sealed the decision.
Who Reads Mercedes Ron’s Books
Ron writes for a broad audience, though she acknowledges her readership skews heavily female. She estimates that 85 to 90 percent of her audience is female, but she sees the action elements in Drawn Together widening the appeal.
“There are a lot of men who also really enjoy these kinds of movies,” she said. “When I do a book signing and guys come in and say that they love my books, I’m really happy.”
She sees a cultural shift at work. “I think now everything is changing, and maybe there are a lot of guys who really want to read romance and now they feel the confidence to say, ‘I love romance, and I enjoy it.’ So that’s really good.”
The Pokeepsie Partnership
Álex de la Iglesia, a Spanish director, and Carolina Bang, who works as both a producer and actress, started Pokeepsie Films together. That company became the first party to seek the book rights to My Fault. Ron later found out that de la Iglesia’s daughters were fans of her work.
“I think I owe them everything because they were the first ones to go to their dad and tell him, ‘You have to make this movie!'” Ron said.
She met the team six years ago and has stuck with them since. “Working with them has been amazing, and they understood completely how this whole world works,” she said. “It’s easier when you know the team and the people.”
Bang recalled discovering Ron’s books through her large family. “Mercedes’ books were always lying around the house,” she said. “I remember Culpables being everywhere and everyone talking about the trilogy. One day, I got curious, read the books and immediately thought, ‘There’s a movie here.'”
Drawn Together caught her attention next. “I could see a movie in that. It had the feel of the great romantic comedies of the ’90s, but with a lot of action.”
What Comes Next for the House of Ron
Prime Video has kept expanding the Culpables series. The English-language versions My Fault: London and Your Fault: London have already arrived on the platform. Now the third and last part, Our Fault: London, is scheduled for a 2027 release, also exclusive to Prime Video.
Last year, the Prime Video platform hosted the premiere of Tell Me Softly (also known as Dímelo Bajito), which was adapted from Ron’s Dímelo trilogy. This past summer, Ron entered into a first-look agreement with Amazon MGM Studios.
| Franchise | Titles | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Culpables trilogy | Culpa Mía, Culpa Tuya, Culpa Nuestra | 100 million views worldwide |
| Culpables English-language | My Fault: London, Your Fault: London | Third film, Our Fault: London, set for 2027 |
| Dímelo trilogy | Tell Me Softly (Dímelo Bajito) | Premiered last year |
| Drawn Together | First of two planned films | Premiered Wednesday |
Ron’s confidence in the adaptation is plain. “The movie turned out really, really, really good,” she said.
Source: hollywoodreporter.com