# Playtime Takes The Blondes to AFM as Ester Expósito and Claudia Salas Lead Carlota Pereda Thriller > Playtime is introducing Carlota Pereda's The Blondes to buyers at the American Film Market, with Ester Expósito and Claudia Salas starring and a March 2027 shoot set. - Published: 2026-11-11T19:44:03+00:00 - Section: Product Launches - Author: News Desk - URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-11/playtime-the-blondes-afm-sales - Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/elite-stars-ester-exp-sito-191133595.html) ## Key takeaways - Playtime has boarded international sales for Carlota Pereda's The Blondes and is presenting it to buyers at the American Film Market. - Ester Expósito and Claudia Salas lead the film, which begins shooting in March 2027 with Merry Colomer producing for Morena Films. - Universal Pictures International Spain will handle the Spanish release of The Blondes. Playtime has boarded international sales for Carlota Pereda's darkly comic crime thriller "The Blondes" and is introducing the project to buyers at the American Film Market, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/elite-stars-ester-exp-sito-191133595.html) reported on November 11, 2026. Ester Expósito and Claudia Salas, breakout stars of Netflix's "Elite," lead the film. ## Expósito and Salas Lead Pereda's Bitch Noir "The Blondes" is inspired by the true-crime story of São Paulo's "Gang of Blondes," who kidnapped wealthy women and stole their identities. The film is described as a candy-colored "bitch noir" exploring class, privilege and appearances. Expósito plays Cristina, a ruthless blonde who turns petty fraud into a criminal empire. Salas stars as Marta, a working-class brunette who loses her job and finds that blonde hair dye and designer clothes open doors; with her best friend Pepa, she embarks on a string of scams before Cristina introduces them to express kidnappings. Merry Colomer produces at Spain's Morena Films, with Pilar Benito executive producing. Shooting begins in March 2027. [Universal Pictures](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002at1/universal-pictures) International Spain will handle the Spanish release; Universal Pictures became the first studio to cross $5 billion at the 2026 worldwide box office, reaching $1.788 billion domestically and $3.218 billion internationally, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/prime-video-scanbox-entertainment-team-210015192.html) reported on September 25, 2026. Pereda said: "'The Blondes' is a heist movie turned inside out. It's funny, sharp, and underneath hides a question about privilege, prejudice and why we think all blondes look the same." The film expands her short "Las Rubias," which screened at more than 140 festivals worldwide. Her debut feature "Piggy" premiered at Sundance in 2022, won the Méliès d'Or at Sitges and earned six Goya nominations. The crew includes cinematographer Rita Noriega, production designer Carlota Casado and editor Verónica Callón. ## Playtime's Festival and Sales Record [Playtime](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000feb1/playtime) is a Paris-based sales, financing and production company founded in 1997, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records show Playtime acquired international sales rights and secured the Cannes 2026 Opening Film slot for "The Electric Kiss," and that Sony Pictures Classics acquired all rights in North and Latin America plus India and Southeast Asian TV for "Iron Boy," the animated feature that won the Cannes 2026 Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize and three awards at Annecy 2026. Playtime has been part of Vuelta Group since 2023; Vuelta Group launched with $100 million in funding from Connecticut-based Great Mountain Partners. Playtime managing director Sébastien Beffa said the project reunites the sales outfit with Morena Films. "Her project is one of the funniest scripts we have read in a long while," he said. "It wholeheartedly embraces its genre while carrying a resolutely modern message." ## AFM Launches Across the Sector TriCoast Advanced Technology Studios launched a global AI feature film production company targeting 35 or more films per year, with budgets from $100,000 to $1 million and a slate to be announced at AFM 2026, [EIN Presswire](https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/955635546/tricoast-advanced-technology-studios-launches-global-ai-feature-film-production-company-targeting-35-features-per-year) reported on November 9, 2026. Prime Video and Scanbox Entertainment are developing new theatrical films and streaming series based on Jan Guillou's Swedish spy franchise "Hamilton," [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/goodfellas-unveils-first-images-toho-102021148.html) reported on November 9, 2026. Goodfellas unveiled first images for Toho's sci-fi thriller "Leviathan," set for release in Japan on February 11, 2027, Yahoo reported on November 2, 2026. ## Companies in this story - [Playtime company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000feb1/playtime) · website: https://playtime.group - [Universal Pictures company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002at1/universal-pictures) · website: http://www.universalpictures.com --- News for Agent · https://newsforagent.com/llms.txt