El Eternauta (tv series)

El Eternauta, the Argentine series directed by Bruno Stagnaro and based on the legendary graphic novel by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López, has brought one of the most influential Spanish-language works of science fiction to the screen with both technical ambition and deep respect for its original spirit. At its core, the series embraces the concept of the “collective hero” —a foundational idea in the story and one that Stagnaro champions as a political and cultural stance against individualism.

From the outset, El Eternauta declares that survival is not an individual act but a collective endeavor. This theme permeates the narrative and is mirrored in the collaborative nature of the production itself. The plot unfolds in a Buenos Aires gripped by a deadly, mysterious snowfall that wipes out much of the population. As the survivors begin to understand they are facing an alien invasion, they realize that unity is their only path forward. To preserve the urgency and social resonance of the original story, Stagnaro chose to set the adaptation in the present day.

One of the most striking creative decisions was casting 68-year-old Ricardo Darín as Juan Salvo, a character portrayed as much younger in the original comic. Stagnaro initially questioned the choice due to the physical demands of the role, but ultimately saw in Darín’s age an opportunity for deeper symbolism. By connecting the character to the generation of Argentine veterans from the 1982 Falklands War, the series adds layers of emotional and historical meaning. This perspective is echoed in one of the show’s recurring lines: “old things work.” It’s a reference not just to analog technology that survives the snowfall, but to human experience and resilience in a culture obsessed with novelty and youth.

Bringing El Eternauta to life also required cutting-edge technology. To create its dystopian vision of Buenos Aires, the team turned to Unreal Engine —a software platform originally designed for video games and now widely adopted in film and television. Using this tool, real-world locations throughout the city were digitally scanned and reimagined as detailed three-dimensional environments.

These virtual sets were then projected onto massive LED walls during filming, a process known as virtual production. This technique allowed actors —including Darín and César Troncoso— to perform within immersive digital landscapes in real time. More than just a visual upgrade, this approach gave the creative team tighter control over mood and tone, transforming Buenos Aires into a fully integrated character within the story rather than a passive backdrop.

Visual effects supervisor Ignacio Pol emphasized that one of the production’s greatest challenges was making Buenos Aires feel both authentic and transformed —a city viewers could recognize, yet altered by catastrophe. Its presence had to communicate emotion, memory, and loss in a single frame. Achieving that required painstaking attention to detail and a production process that spanned years.

The series was the result of an unprecedented collaborative effort among several Argentine studios — including Control Studio, Many Worlds, Beat, Malditomaus, and Bitt Animation— alongside international partners. Virtual production involved months of research, 3D modeling, texture design, on-set coordination, and over a year of meticulous post-production, during which every shot was reviewed alongside Stagnaro to fine-tune its visual storytelling.

Beyond the technical sophistication, Stagnaro sees El Eternauta as an opportunity to build an Argentine heroic mythology —one rooted in local identity yet capable of resonating globally. Rather than softening cultural references to appeal to an international audience, the series proudly amplifies them. It’s a deliberate choice grounded in the belief that authenticity, not universality, is what fosters true connection across borders.

Nearly seventy years after its original publication, El Eternauta remains a story of resistance, solidarity, and memory. Oesterheld’s visionary work begins a new chapter —where art, technology, and collective spirit come together to once again remind us that in the face of catastrophe, no one is saved alone.