Overview

• Alejandro Amenábar used his Sept. 24 appearance on Antena 3’s El Hormiguero to rebut criticism of how his film portrays Miguel de Cervantes, stressing that the choice follows eight years of research.
• Host Pablo Motos characterized the film’s box office as very strong, describing the receipts as “unas cifras de miedo,” a claim presented as his assessment on air.
• Julio Peña said he was initially chosen to play Cervantes and rehearsed for about six weeks before being removed, calling the decision a relief yet a disappointment.
• The episode won its time slot with 1,631,000 viewers and a 14.5% share versus La Revuelta’s 1,353,000 and 12.2%, according to Barlovento Comunicación’s report using Kantar data.
• Separate coverage from Las Provincias highlighted Amenábar’s reported €7 million duplex penthouse in central Madrid with a terrace pool overlooking the Palacio Real.