De Noche is back, and it’s hotter than a summer night in Mexico. Enter Pedro Pascal, the man who could probably melt a glacier with just a smoldering look. After a brief detour when Joaquin Phoenix bowed out, Todd Haynes’ sultry, subversive love story has found its leading men—and damn, they were worth the wait. Alongside Pascal is Danny Ramirez, who’s serving us all the charm and intensity we never knew we needed.
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The Plot: A Dangerous Love Affair
Pascal’s playing a hard-boiled detective (cue the sultry jazz music and cigarette smoke), who falls for Ramirez’s boarding school teacher in 1930s Los Angeles. Corruption runs rampant, the political machine is a mess, and the world’s about to go to hell in a handbasket—but don’t worry, the chemistry between these two is so electric, even the city’s grime can’t put out the fire between them. Of course, as any good noir would have it, they become targets of the city’s dirty politics and are forced to flee to Mexico, where passion (and, let’s be honest, probably a few steamy scenes) burns brighter than ever.
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If you’re thinking, “Wow, this sounds like Chinatown, but with more queer yearning,” you’d be right. The story is dripping with tension, desire, and everything that makes you want to shout YES, while also crying into your pillow because you’re not the one who gets to make out with Pedro Pascal. That’s fine, though, we can live vicariously through the screen.
Pedro Pascal: The Detective We Never Knew We Needed
This is Pascal’s first time collaborating with Haynes, and it feels like the universe aligned to make this magic happen. Haynes, whose films like Carol and Far from Heaven have forever etched their place in cinema history for their emotional depth and—let’s be honest—some seriously hot romantic tension, has a way of making you feel every moment. This one’s no different, with Haynes himself saying, “This story… arises out of an era—too relevant to our own—of domestic corruption, racial exploitation, and global terror.
But it emerges as a testament to the inexplicable powers of desire and love to survive and overcome even the most crippling of human barriers.” Translation: we’re getting a movie that’s as much about longing as it is about fighting for love—and we’re here for it.
Danny Ramirez: The Young Lover Who Steals Your Heart
And let’s talk about this cast, because the star power here is almost too much to handle. Pascal’s no stranger to big blockbusters (we know you’ve seen him in The Mandalorian), but this film allows him to bring his raw magnetism to a role that’s drenched in both mystery and passion. Meanwhile, Danny Ramirez, who’s been on our radar for a minute (you’ve seen him in Top Gun: Maverick, right?), is bringing a fresh, youthful energy to his role as the teacher who falls for Pascal’s brooding detective. Together, they’re the perfect storm of sexy and dangerous—and who doesn’t love a little dangerous?
The Visuals: Noir Meets Passion
As if that wasn’t enough to make you weak in the knees, MK2 Films—who brought us award-winning hits like Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent—is financing the project. This means De Noche is going to look as good as it feels, with lush cinematography that will make you wish you were there, basking in the LA sunshine… and then running for your life in a passionate escape to Mexico. Haynes’ trademark visual style and emotional intensity are guaranteed to make your heart race—and your jaw drop.
Get Ready to Swoon… and Sweat
So, get ready to see Pascal and Ramirez fall in love, fight for survival, and, if we’re lucky, give us some of the most sizzling chemistry we’ve seen in years. If you’re into men who make your heart skip a beat and your pulse race, then mark your calendars—because De Noche is coming to melt your screen.
What are you most excited about in De Noche? The tension? The love story? Or just the sheer brilliance of the ensemble cast? We’re ready to hear all your hot takes.
Source: Variety