Netflix Is Making A Scripted Series About The Life Of Selena Quintanilla

One of the most iconic stories in modern music history is about to come to Netflix in an all new series. The streaming service just picked up Selena: The Series, a scripted show that will chronicle the life of Selena Quintanilla, the most popular Tejano singer ever. Not only does the new series have the blessing of Selena's family, but they will be involved in producing the show. So fans can rest assured that Netflix's Selena: The Series will tell Selena Quintanilla's story will be done in an accurate and respectful way.

For now, all that we know about Selena: The Series is that Netflix has described it as a coming-of-age story. Netflix has not yet revealed how many episodes will be in the show's first season, how long each episode will be, or when the show will premiere. The tone of the series is also unclear — will it feel more like a sitcom or a drama? We do know who is writing and executive producing the series, though. Mexican-American writer and filmmaker Moisés Zamora is writing the show. Zamora's recent TV writing credits include scripts for American Crime and the musical drama Star.

Alongside Moisés Zamora, Selena Quintanilla's sister and father, Suzette Quintanilla and Abraham Quintanilla Jr., will also executive produce Selena: The Series. Suzette provided a statement saying that the new show will focus on Selena's private life with her family:

Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives. We are excited to partner with Campanario and Netflix to give fans a never-before-seen glimpse at our story and highlight why Selena will remain a legend for generations to come.

Netflix released a short video to announce Selena: The Series, which shows the lyrics to Selena's biggest song "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" followed by the show's title, written in the style of Selena's famous signature:

Interestingly enough, Selena: The Series is actually the second scripted show about Selena Quintanilla's life that has been announced this year. At the beginning of 2018, ABC picked up a family drama inspired by Selena's life. But unlike the Netflix series, the ABC show is not going to be directly biographical. As the title reveals, Netflix's series will star a character named Selena, whereas the ABC drama is using Selena's life as inspiration for a fictional young Latino pop star named Alex Guerra. The ABC show is also executive produced by Suzette Quintanilla and Abraham Quintanilla Jr., and both series are currently in development.

Both Selena shows also come from the same production company: Campanario Entertainment. The company's president Jaime Davila echoed Suzette Quintanilla's statement about Selena: The Series focusing on Selena's family:

Selena and the entire Quintanilla family are an inspiration to many and especially to me, a millennial of the same heritage. Selena’s career achievements are legendary, but our scripted series will focus on the incredible story of a Mexican-American family and how an extraordinary young woman transcended categories and borders to become a global star. I can’t imagine a better partner than Netflix to celebrate Selena and her family's lives

Selena: The Series does not have a release date yet, so stay tuned for more news about the upcoming Netflix series.