Prime Video releases Brazilian dystopian film “Corrida dos Bichos”
The Brazilian sci‑fi thriller Corrida dos Bichos premiered on Prime Video on 7 August 2026. Directed by Fernando Meirelles, Ernesto Solis and Rodrigo Pesavento, the film imagines a future Rio de Janeiro devastated by an environmental catastrophe that has dried up the sea. In this setting a wealthy elite runs a lethal competition – the “Corrida dos Bichos” – based on the traditional Jogo do Bicho, where participants wear animal masks and must offer a loved one as collateral.
Matheus Abreu stars as Mano, a peripheral runner who enters the race to rescue his sister Dalva (Thainá Duarte). The cast also includes Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Gagliasso, Isis Valverde, Grazi Massafera and Anitta. Themes of social inequality, exploitation and the spectacle of poverty are highlighted by the actors, who describe the story as a Brazilian‑specific allegory of present‑day disparities.
To promote the release, Prime Video partnered with the game Fortnite, creating a custom “Corrida dos Bichos” map that lets players experience a simulated race. Critics have praised the film’s kinetic action sequences and production design, while noting that the script sometimes struggles to balance its many ideas.
Entities: Bruno Gagliasso · Corrida dos Bichos · Ernesto Solis · Fernando Meirelles · Isis Valverde · Matheus Abreu · Prime Video · Rodrigo Santoro · Thainá Duarte
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Isis Valverde plays Nadine, a character who is both victim and villain. (article 3)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The film was co‑directed by Ernesto Solis, Fernando Meirelles and Rodrigo Pesavento. (article 3)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Bruno Gagliasso portrays the character Leon. (article 3)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The film addresses themes of social inequality, humanity and environmental change. (multiple sources)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The film is set in a dystopian version of Rio de Janeiro. (multiple sources)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Rodrigo Santoro plays the character Abu in the film. (article 1)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The story centers on a deadly competition based on the illegal game Jogo do Bicho. (multiple sources)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Corrida dos Bichos is a Brazilian dystopian film released on Prime Video. (multiple sources)