Damián Alcázar, known for his role as a Cali cartel leader in Narcos, has signed on to star in "Rookies," marking Colombian filmmaker José Luis Rugeles' first television series. The production casts Alcázar alongside Christian Tappán as two strangers who discover they are half-brothers the same day they inherit a detective agency, setting off a mystery involving their father's death. The series is being presented at this week's Bogotá Audiovisual Market as an original Latin American take on the detective procedural genre.

Rugeles, whose previous films include the Cannes-selected "Alias María" and the well-received "The Awakening," envisions "Rookies" as a thriller-comedy grounded in everyday characters rather than traditional detective archetypes. The narrative emphasises survival and group dynamics over conventional justice-seeking motives, with cases resolved through mishap and unconventional approaches. Currently in mid-stage development through production company Rhayuela Films, the project is actively seeking Mexican co-producers to participate in financing and creative input.