In the fourth quarter of 2011, a very daring fantasy series calledOnce Upon A Timepremiered on ABC. In the premise of this Disney drama, a very bitter Evil Queen not only stopped the eventful wedding between Snow White and Prince Charming, but she would also spell out a curse right then and there that teleported not only these two names but many other iconic characters like Belle fromBeauty and the Beast, Elsa fromFrozenand the Wicked Witch of the West fromThe Wizard of Ozinto the fictional town of Storybrooke, Maine. With the spiteful stepmother causing all this chaos, so she could finally be the one with a happy ending, this modern spin that encompassed many of the fables from yesteryear instantly caught the attention of home audiences. Not only didOnce Upon A Timetell of a penultimate story involving classic Disney-adapted fairy tale characters, but this seven-season series also ended up being so successful that a spin-off was crafted from some of the supporting characters.
While this show was crafted and founded on historical fairy tales that greatly became popular once Disney adapted and curated them for North American audiences, small screen features that do decide to highlight international types of folklore, on the other hand, are few and far between. There are many folk tale characters from the South American country of Brazil alone that rightfully deserve to be seen by present-day audiences. Among other names, this underrated lineup of fictional legends includes the mischievous but neutral-in-nature Saci and an old witch who can be either your friend or foe called Matinta-Perera. Luckily Netflix has picked up on these underutilized magical concepts, and in conjunction with Prodigo Films, Bottlecap Productions, and Boipeba Filmes, many Brazilian legends have not only been given a spotlight but are all starring in the same series for all of us to enjoy.
Related:Percy Jackson and the Olympians: What Other Books May Disney Decide to Adapt?
A Widow Steps Into the World of Mythology
With the first season being available to watch onthe red and black streaming platformsince June 12, 2025, and the second season being released in April of this year,Invisible Cityis about an environmental officer named Eric who is forced to step into a hidden world full of otherworldly and mythical beings once he starts to investigate the mysterious circumstances of his wife’s death. Reintroducing more than ten different entities from forgotten folklore by placing them in cities like Rio de Janeiro and Ubatuba, this fantastical thriller never bores by constantly introducing a new powerful persona that makes this show tread deeper and deeperinto the supernatural genre.
With inspirative international details that show off Brazil’s visual style in all twelve episodes ofInvisible City, it is unsurprising that the animator, director, producer, and creator, Carlos Saldanha, was a director onhit animated filmsRio,Rio 2,andFerdinand. We can see where the serious tone of the series comes from as well since Mr. Saldanha also had a helping hand in putting together a cult classic movie known asFight Club.
Related:Fight Club and the Hypocrisy of Fighting the System
Memorable Characters and Monstrous Creatures, Oh My!
Appearing as the initial antagonist for the first seven episodes, a witch called a Cuca, who has the power to lull people to sleep and enter their minds at will, leads a group that tries to steer Eric away from finding out the truth about his family lineage. Aiding Ines the Cuca is an alluring Iara, which is the Brazilian version of a mermaid and a Tapire-iauara. The latter is a formidable shape-shifter that can freely morph into a boar-like animal.
Not to mention, one of the biggest arcs surrounding the first season involves the fire-headed Curupira. First established as a homeless drunkard who doesn’t want to leave his wheelchair, he is a powerful deity of the forest that is finally called into action when one of his dearest allies dies right in front of him. Following in thefootsteps ofOnce Upon A Time,Invisible Citynot only does a great job of showing how trouble in the mythological realm can secretly leak into our own world but also how these growing supernatural elements tend to push corrupt individuals into seeking even more power.
The New Season Expands on South American Mythos
As the showgrows in terms of world-building, the cast does as well. Adding to the already strong lineup of Marco Pigossi (High Seas,Tidelands) bringing the main character of mourning father Eric to life, Manu Dieguez as Eric’s daughter, Luna, and Alessandra Negrini (Samantha!) as Ines the Cuca, Zahy Guajajara, Mestre Sebá, Tomás de França, and Simone Spoladore all step into supporting roles during the five episode run of the second season. Ms. Guajara steps into the shoes of a venomous changeling. Mr. Sebá plays Lazo, an old man who can still see treasure despite being blind. Mr. França is a boy troubled over his sudden wolf transformations. Like theAmerican legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ms. Spladore’s alter entity is a giant destructive mule with flames instead of a head.
While the climax of the last episode took viewers on a whirlwind of a journey that included trekking to some very spiritual places, the ending scene, fortunately, teased more adventures to come for our titular main characters. While there has been no news of a third season, fans cannot wait for more episodes that take a deep dive into the most intriguing legends of Brazilian folklore.
