If you're a sucker for musical dramas or comedies, then we have great news for you: Neon, a new Netflix comedy immersed in the world of reggaeton, is officially on the way.
The series was first ordered by the streaming platform in early November 2022. Neon is co-created and executive produced by author and journalist Shea Serrano — who penned the New York Times bestselling books The Rap Year Book and Movies (and Other Things) — and writer and producer Max Searle, who is an executive producer on Lil Dicky's Dave and co-showrunner of TBS sitcom Chad. Searle will also serve as showrunner for Neon.
A show steeped in such a rich genre needs the absolute best music supervision. Neon tapped Grammy-winning reggaeton star Tainy and Lex Borrero and Ivan Rodriguez from Neon16 and Ntertain (collectively known as Tainy & One Six) as executive music producers, as well as Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuno of Indice as music supervisors. The cherry on top of such prime consultation is music legend and reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee, who serves as an executive producer of the entire series. According to the first trailer, Neon will also feature original songs by Tainy, so prepare to update your playlists accordingly.
Below, find out everything we know so far about Neon, including the cast, plot details, trailer, release date, first-look photos, and more.
What is Neon about?
Neon tells the tale of three friends with big dreams who move to Miami to break into the music industry and turn the world of reggaeton on its head. Per Netflix, the official synopsis of the series reads as follows: “From small-town Florida to the bustling beaches and bright lights of Miami, Neon follows three friends as they hustle their way to making it big in the world of reggaeton. The comedy captures not only the three besties' larger-than-life dreams but also the harsh realities and funny mishaps of surviving the music industry. Together, they hope to make the biggest star in reggaeton — or at least pay their rent.”
Who is in the cast of Neon?
Neon stars Tyler Dean Flores (best known for his work in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Ava DuVernay's When They See Us) as Santi, the group's budding reggaeton artist. Rounding out the main foursome are Emma Ferreira and Jordan Mendoza (Kaleidoscope, Ziwe) as Santi's besties Ness and Felix, and Courtney Taylor (Insecure) as A&R rep Mia.
Other cast members throughout the series include Jordana Brewster (Fast and Furious), Alycia Pascual-Peña (Saved by the Bell), Santiago Cabrera, Genesis Rodriguez; Neon will also feature cameos from many IRL reggaeton stars like Jowell, Jhayco, Villano Antillano, and more.
When is Neon coming out on Netflix?
Neon will premiere on Netflix this fall, on October 19, 2023.
How many episodes will Neon have?
The first season of Neon on Netflix will have eight episodes in total.
Is there a trailer for Neon?
Yes, Netflix released the first full-length trailer for Neon on October 3, 2023. In the trailer, we see our big-artist-in-the-making Santi alongside besties Ness (also his manager) and Felix (also his creative director) as they prepare to take over Miami…in a gas station bathroom? “We have a plan: Grow Santi's career as a reggaetonero,” Ness proclaims in the trailer over Kali Uchis, El Alfa, and JT's “Muñekita.”
In the next clip, the trio make their way to a music label and link up with their future A&R rep Mia, who tasks them with putting on a performance to see what Santi's got, but, alas, he gets tackled on stage. We get a peek into the series of obstacles Santi will have to overcome to prove his worth while Ness's voice adds: “He's not a one-hit-wonder; he's the real deal,” over Myke Towers's “LALA.” (Peak Jhayco's cameo towards the end, too.)
Watch the Neon trailer below:
Previously, on August 31, Netflix had also released the first official teaser for the show. “Picture it: You are a star. We have to show them that we're not just some loser wannabes,” says Emma Ferreira as Ness. “The three of us currently live in a 2009 Toyota Corolla,” replies Jordan Mendoza as Felix, bringing the trio's fantasy crashing back down to earth.
Looks like the path to becoming the biggest reggaeton star in the world won't be as easy as it looks, but at the beginning of the full-length trailer, the trio is in a 2009 Toyota Corolla and by the end, they are in a private jet so it is safe to say some things do work out.)
Watch the full hilarious, drama-filled, bass-thumping teaser for Neon below, which also hides a major celeb cameo: none other than Daddy Yankee.
Are there any first-look photos for Neon?
On the same day as the teaser reveal, Netflix dropped a slate of first-look photos of the series so you can get familiar with Santi, Ness, and Felix before the show's debut later this fall. The first few pics, which you can see in the scroll-through gallery below, also gave us a peek at some of the major cameos to be expected, including Jhayco's and Villano Antillano's. Buuuut, that's not all.
To coincide with the launch of Neon's full-length trailer, Netflix has dropped even more images, giving us a peek at the show and the hijinks our main trio will get involved in. You can check them out in the gallery below:
This story will be updated as more information about Neon breaks.
