Directed by: Mel Gibson
Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Tenoch Huerta, Yalitza Aparicio
Genre: Historical Action | Survival Thriller | Drama
Runtime: 2h 35m
Language: Mayan dialects (with subtitles), Spanish, Nahuatl
Release Date: Summer 2025

🌿 Plot Summary

Nearly two decades after escaping the brink of death and saving his family, Jaguar Paw returns—not to the safety of the forest, but to a new nightmare. As the Spanish conquistadors tighten their grip on Mesoamerica, the ancient Mayan world faces collapse. Cultures clash. Blood spills. The gods fall silent.

When his village is wiped out in a raid led by a traitorous Mayan warlord allied with the Spaniards, Jaguar Paw is thrust back into a world of chaos. Guided by ancient omens, he sets out on a perilous journey to unite warring tribes in a desperate bid to resist colonization.

Haunted by visions of death, he must embrace his true role—not just as a survivor, but as a symbol of resistance.
The jungle once saved him. Now, it calls him back as the land cries for vengeance.

⚔️ Key Highlights

• Rudy Youngblood returns as Jaguar Paw, delivering a raw, physically demanding performance.

• Tenoch Huerta (from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) plays the formidable antagonist: a high-ranking Maya noble turned conquistador ally.

• Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) stars as a healer and rebel who holds sacred knowledge passed through generations of priestesses.

• Breathtaking cinematography showcases untamed jungles, volcanic plains, and ancient ruins, emphasizing the tension between man, nature, and invader.

• The film honors native languages and spiritual beliefs, with an intense focus on Mayan cosmology, ritual, and prophecy.

🔥 Themes

• Survival vs. Resistance: Can a lone man become a movement?

• Cultural extinction: The film explores how colonization threatened centuries of spiritual and scientific heritage.

• Blood and identity: What must be sacrificed to preserve a people’s soul?

🎥 Behind the Scenes

• Shot on-location in Yucatán, Guatemala, and Colombia using natural light and practical effects.

• Language coaches and indigenous consultants were deeply involved to preserve authenticity.

• Mel Gibson returns as director with a commitment to “visceral realism and historical reverence.”

🩸 Taglines

“Before history was written, legends bled.”
“The gods have gone silent. Now, the jungle speaks.”
“One man’s survival becomes a nation’s last hope.”

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