'Flamin' Hot': First Look, Release Date, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far (2024)

Cinema's intentions to audiences can often be to entertain in the form of comedy, scare in the form of horror, or perhaps create tension in the form of a psychological thriller. These emotional responses are what keep us returning to our local theater time and time again, and one such response that often leaves a lasting impression on us is the feeling of being inspired. Often this can come in the form of an uplifting tale of success through struggle like in Forrest Gump, or perhaps a good old-fashioned zero-to-hero story like in Whiplash or Captain America. However, this feeling of inspiration can be most easily obtained with a true story, where audiences can not only feel inspired by the on-screen narrative but relate to its truthful nature. And that's where Flamin' Hot (2023) comes in.

Directed by Eva Longoria in her directorial debut, the film follows the story of Richard Montañez, a man who went from working as a Frito-Lay janitor to becoming an author, businessman, and creator of one of the most famous snack flavors in the world. The film recently premiered at SXSW 2023, and with news about the movie being released regularly, here's everything we know about Flamin' Hot... so far.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on May 11, 2023, with the film's first full trailer.

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When and Where Is Flamin' Hot Coming Out?

Flamin' Hot had its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 11, 2023. Unless you watched it at the festival, you'll have to wait a bit as the film will be released on Hulu on June 9, 2023. No word on a theatrical release yet, so it looks like the only way to watch the film will be through streaming.

Is There a Trailer For Flamin' Hot?

We received the first trailer for Flamin' Hot on May 10, 2023. The footage shows the rags-to-riches story and what it takes to make one of the world's most iconic snack foods. Can a janitor really save Frito-Lay? While we know that the company is still going strong (and the success of the chip itself), we can't wait to see the film's comedic retelling of the story.

What's the True Story Behind Flamin' Hot?

Richard Montañez was born with nine siblings in Ontario, California. Raised in a migrant labor camp in Guasti, Montañez's difficult childhood was only made more challenging when he dropped out of school and had to begin working as a laborer. When he was 18, Montañez would get his job as the janitor at Frito-Lay, the very job that would change his life forever. After an issue with a Cheetos machine, Montañez would take a selection of the unflavored snacks back home and, upon experimenting with certain spices he had in his cupboards, would stumble across the recipe for, what would come to be known as, Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

Despite some dispute as to the validity of this story, it is certainly true that Montañez would go on to play a crucial role in the marketing department of Frito-Lay, which then led to him becoming an inspirational speaker and author throughout his later career. Certainly an inspirational story, there is no surprise that this has been turned into a feature film.

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What Is the Plot of Flamin' Hot?

As mentioned before, the film follows the tale of Richard Montañez and his rags-to-riches rise from janitor to vice president of multicultural sales & community promotions for PepsiCo and beyond. Of course, the movie narrative cannot consume his entire story, with the official plot synopsis reading:

"Flamin' Hot is the story of Richard Montañez, the Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global phenomenon."

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Despite such a well-known brand being depicted, the story will very much center on the life of the man in the middle, with director Eva Longoria stating in an interview with People:

"We were never telling the history of the Cheeto. That would not be a very interesting movie. I’m doing the story of Richard Montañez, who happened to have a hand in creating the No. 1 snack in the world, which is a billion dollar brand. Nobody knew this market better than Richard. He’s more known as the godfather of Hispanic marketing than the creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos because he was the first person to go, 'You guys, we need to market differently to different cultures, to Hispanics, to African-Americans, Asian-American. Everybody appeals differently to different things. And this is what my community likes. And all I know is that my community is not being spoken to. So you guys should speak to them and they’ll show up.' And he was right."

So, based on all that, it seems safe to assume that Flamin' Hot will primarily be about Montañez's story, with the Cheeto being just one facet of the greater whole. That definitely seems like something we wouldn't mind getting a taste of.

Who Are the Cast and Crew of Flamin' Hot?

Flamin' Hot marks the directorial debut of gifted actress Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives). Longoria is joined by writers Linda Yvette Chávez and Lewis Colick of Gentefied and October Sky fame respectively. The film is shot by seasoned cinematographer Federico Cantini (Give or Take) and scored by experienced composer Marcelo Zavros (Fences).

A great crew can only work with a great cast, and Flamin' Hot seems to have delivered one. Joining Jesse Garcia (Ambulance) as Richard Montañez are the likes of Emilio Rivera (High Crimes) as Vacho Montañez and Annie Gonzalez (Shameless) as Judy Montañez, with some stars yet to be publicly ascribed a character, including the likes of Matt Walsh (Veep), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), and Dennis Haysbert (24). A great cast combined with a great crew makes Flamin' Hot look like one of the most exciting true stories coming to streaming this summer.