Beast Race (Portuguese: Corrida dos Bichos) is an upcoming Brazilian action science fiction film directed by Fernando Meirelles (in his first Portuguese language feature since City of God), Rodrigo Pesavento and Ernesto Solis, co-written by Solis and Rodrigo Lages. Starring Matheus Abreu, Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Bruno Gagliasso, Grazi Massafera, Seu Jorge and Leandro Firmino,[1] it is set in a dystopian Rio de Janeiro, where the sea has dried up and the city has taken on a new geographic configuration.[2]
The film will have its world premiere at the Narrative Spotlight section of the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on 17 March. It is scheduled to be release by Amazon MGM Studios in Brazil in 2026.[3]
Plot
In a dark future, Rio de Janeiro faces a radical transformation after the disappearance of the sea. In this new scenario, the city hosts a brutal competition known as the “Beasts Racing” in which people from marginalized classes, called “Bichos” (slang for animals) are used by tycoons as pawns in million-dollar gambling. A courageous young man enters the racing with the goal of saving his sister’s life, confronting the oppressive system and putting his own life at risk.[4]
Cast
- Matheus Abreu as Mano[3]
- Rodrigo Santoro as Abu
- Isis Valverde as Nadine
- Bruno Gagliasso
- Thainá Duarte as Dalva
- Seu Jorge
- João Guilherme
- Silvero Pereira
- Grazi Massafera
- Anitta
- Leandro Firmino
- Igor Fernandez[5]
Production
It marks Meirelles’ feature film return to his native Portuguese language after 24 years, following City of God in 2002.
Release
The film will have its world premiere at the Narrative Spotlight section of the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on 17 March. It is scheduled to be release by Prime Video in Brazil in 2026.
References
- ^ “Veja os primeiros registros com as estrelas de ‘Corrida dos Bichos’“. O Globo – Blog do Ancelmo Gois. September 2024.
- ^ “Distopia ‘Corrida dos Bichos’ pretende mostrar que o Brasil também tem ficção científica”. Terra.
- ^ a b “SXSW 2026 Schedule | Film & TV Project”. SXSW 2026 Schedule. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
- ^ “Corrida dos Bichos: Conheça o elenco do filme de sci-fi nacional com Rodrigo Santoro e Anitta”. Omelete.
- ^ “Conheça Igor Fernandez, ator mineiro que vive namorado de Johnny Massaro em série da HBO Max”. www.otempo.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2025-09-07.
External links
- Beast Race at IMDb