Prime Video has scored another streaming hit with Drawn Together, the steamy romantic thriller inspired by Mercedes Ron’s bestselling novel Marfil. Starring Elite breakout Ester Expósito and Hugo Diego Garcia, the 104-minute film has climbed to the top of the platform’s worldwide movie rankings, overtaking Gal Gadot’s action film The Runner just days after its debut.

The success adds to Amazon’s growing investment in adaptations of Ron’s work, as the streaming service continues to build an audience for romance stories that blend intense relationships, danger and suspense.

Ron, whose Culpables adaptations reportedly attracted 100 million viewers worldwide, has become a major figure in Amazon’s book-to-screen strategy. The company signed the Spanish author to a first-look deal in June, reinforcing a partnership that has increasingly become known as the “House of Ron.”

Now, Drawn Together is providing another indication of the commercial appeal of that approach.

‘Drawn Together’ Reaches No. 1 on Prime Video Worldwide

Released on September 9, Drawn Together — known in Spain as Enfrentados: Marfil — quickly attracted international attention.

According to FlixPatrol’s worldwide movie chart on September 12, the film had reached No. 1 globally on Prime Video, ahead of The Runner and The Last Sunrise.

Its initial performance varied considerably by market. On its US release day, the movie did not appear on the overall American chart and ranked eighth among films in the country. At the same time, it reached No. 1 in 23 other countries.

The American audience subsequently caught up, with the film climbing to second place in the United States.

These rankings offer an early snapshot of the movie’s reach, although streaming charts reflect viewing activity at a particular time rather than total audience figures.

Ester Expósito Plays a Wealthy Heiress Caught in a Dangerous Situation

The story centres on Marfil Cortés, played by Ester Expósito, who rose to international prominence through Netflix’s Spanish drama Elite.

Marfil is the daughter of a wealthy Spanish tycoon and appears to have everything she could want. Her comfortable life in New York takes a frightening turn when she is kidnapped while jogging in Central Park.

Even more puzzlingly, she is subsequently released.

Her father interprets the incident as a warning and responds by assigning Sebastián Moore, played by Hugo Diego Garcia, to live with her as her personal bodyguard.

The arrangement places the two characters in close quarters, setting up the romantic tension at the heart of the story. As danger and attraction collide, their relationship develops against a backdrop of uncertainty and unanswered questions.

For readers familiar with Ron’s 2019 novel Marfil, the setup brings together several familiar ingredients: a wealthy heroine, a protective bodyguard, forced proximity and a romance complicated by threats beyond the couple’s control.

The Creative Team Behind the Adaptation

Óscar Pedraza directs Drawn Together from a screenplay by Sofía Cuenca.

The film is produced by Álex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang through Pokeepsie Films. De la Iglesia is particularly associated with distinctive, often outrageous horror and genre cinema, making his involvement in a romantic bodyguard thriller an intriguing element of the production.

The adaptation also continues Amazon’s effort to translate the popularity of Spanish-language romance fiction into internationally accessible streaming entertainment.

By combining a familiar romantic setup with kidnapping, suspense and an international setting, Drawn Together seeks to appeal to viewers who enjoy both relationship-driven drama and thriller elements.

Amazon Is Already Looking Ahead With ‘Drawn Apart’

Amazon’s confidence in the franchise extends beyond the first film. The sequel, Drawn Apart, was filmed back-to-back with Drawn Together and announced before the original had premiered.

Mercedes Ron has already watched the completed follow-up. Speaking to Forbes in September, she expressed enthusiasm for the film and indicated that she hoped it would be released the following year.

“It’s finished… I have already watched it. It’s so good,” Ron said, adding that she hoped it would arrive in 2027.

Her comments suggest that audiences may not have to wait long to revisit the story, although the release timing she described was a hope rather than a confirmed date.

The Sequel Promises a Much Darker Direction

The follow-up may also depart significantly from the romantic tone of the first instalment.

Ester Expósito has suggested that Drawn Apart will move into darker territory, describing a substantial change in genre and intensity.

“We know it has nothing to do with the first one,” she said. “It changes so much, it’s like another genre. Suddenly, it’s pure action and thriller. Much darker, much more extreme, everything.”

Hugo Diego Garcia offered an equally striking comparison when discussing the sequel, describing it as a combination of John Wick, Rambo and Taken, but with the emotional heart of The Notebook.

The description points towards a follow-up that could place considerably more emphasis on action and danger while retaining the romantic elements associated with Ron’s stories.

Mercedes Ron’s Growing Role in Prime Video’s Strategy

The success of Drawn Together arrives as Amazon continues to invest in adaptations of Ron’s novels.

Her Culpables franchise helped establish a substantial audience for her work on screen, with reports putting its worldwide viewership at approximately 100 million. The subsequent first-look agreement gives Amazon an opportunity to develop further projects based on her writing.

That approach also reflects the influence of online reading communities, including Spanish-language BookTok, where romance novels and their screen adaptations can attract passionate followings.

Rather than relying exclusively on established film franchises, Amazon is building relationships with authors whose stories already have an audience and potential for further adaptations.

For now, Drawn Together has delivered a strong early showing on Prime Video’s international charts. With Drawn Apart already completed and its creator expressing enthusiasm for the sequel, the story of Marfil and Sebastián could have considerably more room to develop.

Whether the first film’s chart performance translates into a lasting franchise remains to be seen, but its early streaming success has placed Mercedes Ron’s latest adaptation firmly in the spotlight.