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The story of the Frito-Lay janitor who disrupted the industry with his invention of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos prompted standing ovations at SXSW. It will hit Hulu and Disney+ on June 9, 2023.

Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) and Flamin' Hot Cheetos

Flamin’ Hot coming to Hulu and Disney+ on June 9, 2023

Searchlight Pictures has announced that Eva Longoria’s first feature as a director, Flamin’ Hot, will be released simultaneously on both Hulu and Disney+ on June 9, 2023. The film premiered at SXSW and had sold out screenings, with audiences of all ages giving it emotional standing ovations. Produced by DeVon Franklin, Flamin’ Hot is the first feature film to be streamed on both platforms in the US, and will also be available internationally on Disney+.

Director Eva Longoria said,

“I’m excited for everyone to see Flamin’ Hot on these two streaming platforms, making this universal, inspirational story accessible to an even wider audience. Now everyone can celebrate the joy, power and heart of this film that also uplifts Latinos both in front of and behind the camera.”

Producer DeVon Franklin said,

“From the moment I found Richard Montanez’s story seven years ago, I knew it would resonate with and inspire audiences everywhere. I’m so grateful to Searchlight, Hulu, and now Disney+ for giving us this historic opportunity to bring his uplifting true story to over 200 million subscribers around the world!”

How Frito-Lay janitor Richard Montanez invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

 Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) Flamin' Hot Cheetos taste test with family

Flamin’ Hot tells the true story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), who as a Frito-Lay janitor disrupted the food industry by using his Mexican-American heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.

Richard Montañez was working as a janitor at Frito-Lay in the 1970s when he came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. He noticed that the company had no products specifically targeted towards Latino consumers, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Montañez purchased a bag of Cheetos and took them home to experiment with. He added chili powder to the cheese-flavored snack and gave them a try. The result was a spicy snack that he believed would appeal to Latino consumers.

 Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) in Flamin' Hot

Montañez pitched his idea to the company’s executives, but they were initially hesitant to take a chance on a new product. Undeterred, Montañez decided to take matters into his own hands. He purchased a few bags of unflavored Cheetos and experimented with different spice combinations until he found the perfect blend.

Montañez then convinced a local grocery store to carry his new creation, and the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos quickly became a hit with consumers. The popularity of the snack eventually caught the attention of Frito-Lay’s executives, and they decided to give Montañez’s product a chance. The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos became one of the company’s best-selling products, and Montañez went on to become an executive at Frito-Lay.

Flamin’ Hot movie production

The film is a Franklin Entertainment Production, written by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chávez, and stars Jesse Garcia as Richard, Annie Gonzalez as his wife, Judy, Emilio Rivera as Richard’s father Nacho, Dennis Haysbert as Richard’s mentor, Clarence, and Tony Shalhoub as PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico. Other cast members include Matt Walsh, Bobby Soto, and Pepe Serna.

The filmmaking crew includes Director of Photography Federico Cantini, ADF, Film Editors Kayla M. Emter and Liza D. Espinas, Production Designers Brandon Mendez and Cabot McMullen, and Costume Designer Elaine Montalvo.

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