The new cop movie Facing El Chapo is drawing significant attention on Netflix shortly after its release. The crime thriller has climbed the streaming platform’s movie rankings in the United States, putting it ahead of several major releases like Netflix’s own film The Last House.
Facing El Chapo is topping Netflix’s streaming charts
Facing El Chapo has emerged as Netflix’s top movie in the United States. According to FlixPatrol, the film ranked first on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies chart on August 23, 2026, placing it ahead of several well-known blockbusters. These include To Catch a Cheater, The Last House, The Great Wall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Smurfs: The Lost Village, among others.
Directed by Chava Cartas, Facing El Chapo began streaming on Netflix on August 21, 2026. The Mexican crime thriller is based on the 2016 recapture of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and follows two federal officers who unexpectedly encounter the drug lord during a routine traffic stop.
Arturo Carmona and Hector Rosales pull over a vehicle reported as stolen. However, inside they find Guzmán, also known as El Chapo, along with his associate El Cholo Ivan. With backup still some distance away, the officers must keep the two men under control while dealing with the danger created by the cartel boss’s arrest.
Arturo is also facing financial problems and preparing for the arrival of another child with his wife, Isaura. Meanwhile, Rosales is his newer partner and has less experience on the job. Their encounter with Guzmán puts both officers and their families at risk as they wait for reinforcements.
The film draws from the events surrounding Guzmán’s 2016 recapture while presenting a dramatized account of the officers involved. The film’s cast includes Alfonso Herrera, Noé Hernández, Hector Kotsifakis, Juan Pablo Cruz García, Paola Fernández, Antonio Fortier, Allan Durell, and Gerardo Trejoluna.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.
