Netflix has another international hit on its hands, with Facing El Chapo attracting 18 million views during its first week on the streaming service. The Mexican crime thriller topped Netflix’s global non-English movie chart for the week of August 17 to August 23, putting it ahead of several high-profile English-language releases.
Directed by Chava Cartas, the film stars Alfonso Herrera, Noé Hernández and Héctor Kotsifakis. It dramatizes a real 2016 incident in which two Mexican federal officers unexpectedly encountered notorious cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán after stopping a stolen vehicle.
Facing El Chapo Turns a Real-Life Arrest Into a Netflix Thriller
The story takes place during Operation Black Swan, the mission that ultimately led to Guzmán’s recapture in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, after his 2015 prison escape. While the officers initially have no idea who they have stopped, they soon find themselves facing an extraordinary choice involving one of the world’s most wanted criminals.
Netflix’s official account reveals that the real-life encounter became even more dangerous after Guzmán attempted to convince the officers to let him go. Facing El Chapo builds its suspense around that confrontation, focusing on the risks faced by the two officers rather than simply retelling Guzmán’s criminal career.
Cartas previously directed Counterattack, and he explained to Netflix that the story immediately stood out because of the courage required from the officers involved.
“We knew it was a story that needed to be told,”
Cartas said, describing the movie as a realistic thriller that repeatedly asks viewers,
“What would I do?”
The film’s performance is particularly notable because it arrived alongside major English-language titles competing for Netflix viewers. Don’t Say Good Luck led the English-language movie chart with 12.8 million views, while The Last House collected 12 million. Facing El Chapo significantly surpassed both with its 18 million-view debut on the non-English chart.
The movie is currently available to stream on Netflix, where it is listed as a 2026 Mexican action thriller based on true events.
