La Luna Sangre

La Luna Sangre
Genre	Fantasy, Horror, Drama, Romance, Comedy, Action, Suspense, Supernatural
Developed by	Malou N. Santos Des M. De Guzman
Written by	Adam Cornelius Asin Mary Pearl Urtola
Directed by	Richard I. Arellano Frasco Mortiz Rory B. Quintos Mae Cruz-Alviar GB Sampedro (Second Unit) Lester Pimentel (Action) Wang Yanbin (Action) Cathy Garcia-Molina (Pilot Week)
Starring	Kathryn Bernardo Daniel Padilla Richard Gutierrez Angel Locsin
Opening theme	"Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin" by KZ Tandingan
Composers	Louie Ocampo Joey Albert
Country of origin	Philippines
Original language	Filipino
No. of episodes	105 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Fe Catherine DV Ancheta Marissa Kalaw Kristine P. Sioson
Editors	Joshua Ducasen Mark Angos
Running time	45 minutes (Pilot) 20 - 30 minutes
Production company	Star Creatives
Original release
Network	ABS-CBN
Release	June 19, 2017 (2017-06-19) – present

La Luna Sangre (lit. 'The Blood Moon') is a 2017 Philippine horror-fantasy drama television series. Directed by Richard Arellano, Rory Quintos and Mae Cruz-Alviar, it stars Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Richard Gutierrez, and Angel Locsin. It is the third installment of Lobo and the sequel to Imortal. The series premiered on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida evening block and worldwide on The Filipino Channel on June 19, 2017, replacing My Dear Heart.

Summary

The series revolves around the prophecy called “la luna sangre”, which says that the child of the most powerful vampire and the chosen wolf will end the evil of the vampire marked with the cursed ink.

Following the events from Imortal, Mateo (John Lloyd Cruz) and Lia (Angel Locsin) are living their simple lives as mortals in the corn fields of San Isidro along with their 7 year old daughter. They lost their powers and became mortals when they revived their stillborn infant daughter, Malia (Kathryn Bernardo) and relinquished their leadership of La Liga Unida (or LLU) to werewolf Frederick Arguelles (Victor Neri). Sandrino (Richard Gutierrez), Magnus’ son, the king of vampires and also known as Supremo, ordered all his forces to hunt and kill Mateo, Lia and Malia to prevent the prophecy's fulfillment and ensure his ascendancy into power.

To protect Malia, LLU mobilized their forces to relocate them to Borneo. Before they could transport them safely, they were betrayed by Veruska (Ina Raymundo), a werewolf and wife of Frederick, who pointed their location to Supremo in exchange for safety of the remaining werewolves. A major battle ensued between the forces of LLU and Supremo's vampire horde. In the end, Supremo won the battle killing Mateo and Lia. He didn't know that the child he killed in Lia's arms was not the real Malia. In fact, the real Malia was carried off by a werewolf named Baristo (Joross Gamboa) to a secret LLU base in Tanay, Rizal.

Malia was left an orphan under the care of other vampires and werewolves. For the next 14 years, she lived in a LLU secret camp. Everyone pinned their hopes on Malia, their destined savior from the tyranny of Supremo. However, Malia failed to manifest her supernatural powers during her 21st birthday. Soon, Sandrino located the LLU's secret camp and decimated most of its members leaving a handful of what was once a powerful and formidable organization. Though the remnants were scattered after the battle, they eventually found each other in Manila and together with Malia picked up the pieces of their group and kept her true identity a secret. In Manila, Malia met Tristan (Daniel Padilla), a young man on a mission to avenge his father's death by vampires. Tristan joined a youth vigilante group called Moonchasers, whose agenda is to kill vampires and protect Supremo’s targeted victims.

It is at this time that the first part of the prophecy began to unfold. Malia’s and Tristan’s fates are linked. The seer Jethro Kabigting (Dino Imperial) explained the “spark” or electric charge the young couple felt when they held hands signified a conflicted relationship, much similar to Mateo’s and Lia’s in Imortal. The young couple don’t fully understand the impact of their relationship.

As Supremo began to execute his plans, Jacintha Magsaysay (Angel Locsin) was introduced as the political strategist who Gilbert Imperial hired (Supremo’s mortal identity) to run his presidential campaign. She is an exact double of Lia Rodriguez. After initial doubts about her real identity, he became convinced that she was not Lia, and had fallen in love with her. This feelings stirred his heart to beat again as a mortal man, which further weakened his powers. Unknown to him, Jacintha’s complicity with Samantha was revealed - both worked in tandem, distracted Supremo, foiled his plans and weakened his vampire forces. Their single objective was to impede Supremo’s activities until Malia’s full powers manifested. Their alliance was kept a secret from Prof T and the LLU. Jacintha’s uncanny likeness to their former Head Guardian left Malia and the LLU confused. They investigated Jacintha’s background which led to a dead end. Unfortunately, Samantha died without revealing to them that Jacintha was on their side.

The other member of Jacintha’s tandem, Magnus' vampire daughter, Samantha (Maricar Reyes-Poon), had founded the Moonchasers organization with Prof T., a group she didn’t want to publicly ally with the LLU. She discovered the connection between Tristan and Malia from the two seers, Madame Star (Mel Kimura) and Jethro. Jethro saw a dead Tristan while Madame Star saw a vampire Tristan. She reconnected with Barang (Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino), Magnus’ loyal self-serving vampire seer and her surrogate mother, and learned that Sandrino is her half-brother. She refused to ally with her brother. Instead, as Jacintha’s secret ally, she frustrated Supremo’s many plans, and provided powerful cover for the LLU and the Moonchasers in their missions. She was eventually killed by her brother Sandrino, sacrificing her life to protect Jacintha’s identity, successfully distracting him from his growing suspicions that Jacintha was the red caped vampire.

Earlier, Sandrino was critically wounded after a failed assassination attempt at his presidential campaign rally. Taking advantage of his weakness, the LLU attacked his lair and killed a horde of his vampire allies. In rage and retaliation, the Supremo went on a rampage, directed his minions to attack the Moonchasers’ families and loved ones and convert them into vampires. Veruska and Greta (Meryll Soriano), as well as two siblings of the Moonchasers were among the victims.

Meanwhile, Barang, who was out to prove that Jacintha was Lia, discovered Jacintha’s alliance with Samantha. She was swiftly killed by Jacintha dresssd as the red caped vampire to prevent her from telling Supremo. Sandrino deeply mourned the loss of his surrogate mother, and immediately sought to avenge her death. Barang’s death also increased his suspicions fhat Jacintha was the red caped vampire. But after he laid his trap to lure the Red Caped Vampire, she turned out to be his half sister, Samantha, who sacrificed herself to protect Jacintha’s identity.

In the meantime, Malia and Tristan remained unaware of each other's role in the prophecy and quickly developed a close relationship. They worked on the same missions and battled the same enemies. He was stunned when he learned of Malia’s alliance with the LLU and the true nature of its members, and is further disturbed when he discovered Malia’s deception about her true nature and double identity. Likewise, the LLU members were shocked to see Jacintha, who was an exact double of their former “Chosen One”working with Supremo.

As Supremo’s revenge began to take form in a slew of massacres and serial killer type murders, Moonchasers’ mentor and renowned scientist, Professor Theodore, perfected a virus-serum protocol that protect humans from the deadly vampire bites. His virus turned human blood into a sour tasting poison, making it impossible for vampires to consume enough of the human’s blood supply that would kill them. The serum served as an antidote to the toxins released from vampire bites. After testing it on the Moonchaser’ family members and achieving the desired results, he used it on the Moonchasers and targeted Supremo victims. Tristan, on the other hand, reacted differently from the rest. He suffered a cardiac arrest, and while he was lifeless, experienced a recurring dream - a lullaby, a man’s voice, a woman crying for help. Later the images were revealed to be Tristan’s origins.

His mother Rica was Sandrino’s friend and lover, before she joined the Toralba family as Tonio’s wife. In his attempt to rescue Rica, his Luna colleague, Tonio killed the still mortal Sandrino. To save Sandrino, Barang used an ancient spell to claim his soul, cast him with the cloak of invincibility, transferred her seer powers to him and then turned him into a vampire, steering him towards his evil path. Tonio brought Rica to his family, already pregnant with Tristan, and passed the child as his.

Malia was proclaimed the New Head Guardian of the LLU. After Samantha’s death, she proposed a merging of both organizations to effect coordinated missions.

With Samantha’s death and Malia’s full powers not yet manifested, will Malia accomplish her mission to end Sandrino's life? Is Jacintha her mother? How will Tristan react when he learns that Sandrino is his father? How will the prophecy affect the budding romance between Malia and Tristan? Are they destined to be enemies or friends? Her parents who were originally destined to be mortal enemies, changed their fate with the strength of their love. Will Tristan and Malia be able to do the same?

Cast

Main article: List of La Luna Sangre characters

Malia Rodriguez

Portrayed by Kathryn Bernardo (adult) and Erika Clemente (child), she is the main female protagonist of the series. She is known from Jethro's prophecy as the New Chosen One, who will triumph over all evil vampires under the reign of a vampire born with a mark of the cursed ink before the night of the "la luna sangre". She is the hybrid offspring of Mateo and Lia, a vampire and a werewolf. When her parents died, she began living with the La Liga Unida (or LLU) community under the care of Baristo, Lydia, and Catleya. During her 21st birthday, Malia failed to transform as a werewolf or a vampire. During the LLU massacre, she failed to kill Sandrino. She was saved by Gael and escaped the massacre. After the massacre, she lived in Manila and took on dual identities as Emilio "Miyo" D. Alcantara (male) and Toni Lumakad (female) as part of her plans to overthrow Supremo. Her identity as Miyo did not last. She was shot multiple times in the bottom of the gorge by three policemen who were under Supremo's hypnotic control to assassinate her. She died, but was resurrected by the supernatural power of the full moon. Police authorities found Miyo's bloody clothes, and assumed he was killed. Malia continued with her identity as Toni. Her full powers have not yet manifested, but since her resurrection, it was determined that she has both vampire and werewolf powers. She was proclaimed as LLU’s Head Guardian after the successful raid on Supremo’s headquarters.

Tristan Toralba

Portrayed by Daniel Padilla (adult) and Justin James Quilantang (child), he is the main male protagonist of the series. He grew up as Tonio and Rica's son. When Tristan was seven years old, vampires killed his father, the former Luna leader, Tonio Toralba. His keen interest in vampires and desire to avenge his father’s death led him to join the Moonchasers. He has an aggressive and stubborn personality. Moonchasers' headmaster, Prof. T described him as a warrior and "special, but difficult to control". Moonchasers' founder, Samantha Imperial believed he plays a major role with Malia in Jethro’s prophecy. Jethro had seen Tristan as a child linked hands with Malia under the giant full moon. This vision manifested 21 years ago, when Jethro laid his hand on Rica's pregnant belly. Madame Star, on the other hand, is afraid of Tristan. She had seen him in her dreams before she actually met him, walking down a dark alley very similar to where they lived, with glowing red eyes like a vampire. The virus/serum protocol that Prof T formulated to protect humans against vampire bites did not react well with Tristan, who became violently ill and suffered a cardiac arrest. It is later revealed that he has vampire blood, and is Sandrino’s natural child with Rica, a former Luna fighter herself, who Tonio rescued from the clutches of Barang, then raised him as his child. Tristan grew up with a deep seated anger and mistrust for vampires and werewolves. Still unaware of his origins, Tristan was shocked when he realized Malia was not human, as he witnessed her supernatural powers when she battled Greta.

Sandrino Villalobo / Gilbert Imperial / Supremo

Portrayed by Richard Gutierrez (adult) and Zyren Leigh Luansing (child), he is the main antagonist of the series. He is Gilbert Imperial, the founder of SMV Corporation. He is also known as Supremo, the king of the vampires, whose aim is to provide a perfect world for vampires and keep mortals as the vampires’ main food source. He plans to dominate the Philippines and the world. He is Sandrino, Magnus' long lost son and Samantha's adoptive brother. His mortal mother, Maria Villalobos, was one of the many women raped by Magnus in his efforts to sire the chosen one who will save the vampire race, based on Barang's prophecy. Sandrino had a lonely and violent childhood, his mother imprisoned him for his bloodthirsty acts. In a fit of rage due to his mother's abuse, he killed her. He escaped with his nanny until Barang came and took him away. She raised him, later saved his life and turned him into the vampire marked with the cursed ink. Using an ancient book of incantation, she casted a spell to protect him from weapons that could injure or kill a normal vampire, making him extremely powerful.

However, despite his power, he was prophesied to die in the hands of the “New Chosen One” during the night of la luna sangre. The prophecy changed a decade later when Jethro saw a new vision that the Supremo did not die. 21 years later, Gilbert Imperial, Youtopia's founder and CEO, has set the wheels in motion to fulfill his plans for world domination by running as the president of the Philippines with the help of a political strategist named Jacintha Magsaysay. Falling in love with his strategist awakened his heart and weakened his powers. Unfortunately, this weakness was temporary when Barang steered him back towards their evil agenda. Distraught over Barang’s death, he stepped up their evil agenda, towards a path of death, destruction and revenge. He killed his sister Samantha, bent on killing all his enemies.

Lyka B. Raymundo-Ortega / Jacintha Magsaysay

Portrayed by Angel Locsin. Lia is known as the chosen wolf in Imortal series. She is the youngest child of Noah and Lyka's 3 children. She is Mateo’s wife and together established La Liga Unida (LLU). In this third installment, she became a mortal woman when she and Mateo transferred their powers to revive their infant daughter, Malia. Seven years later, she officially passed on her leadership to Frederick Arguelles. Her family's peaceful life in San Isidro was disrupted when Supremo discovered their whereabouts. Lia saved her daughter's life when she switched her child with another. She was supposedly killed by Supremo, along with her husband Mateo. Time skip to 14 years later, Jacintha Magsaysay surfaced. She appears to be Lia Ortega-Rodriguez' Doppelgänger. Gilbert Imperial flew to Jakarta, Indonesia to hire her as his Political Strategist to aid him in his campaign for President of the Philippines. Gilbert suspected she was Lia. Jacintha was constantly being tested by Gilbert. Researching her background, he learned that Jacintha was born in Negros Oriental. And though she spent all her high school and college years in Dumaguete, she was estranged from her parents, Flor and Elmer, who currently live in Manila. Jacintha's former university professor named Bill Mejia recruited her to join them. Her first client was the current president of Indonesia, who credits her for leading his campaign strategy and winning the presidency for him, despite a major scandal. She joined Gilbert to lead his campaign, and successfully won his trust, and his heart.

Jacintha is, in fact, secretly working with Samantha to create distractions, to delay or derail Supremo’s many preparations, facilitating the path for Malia to defeat Supremo.The first major attempt was at the presidential campaign rally, but that failed because Supremo had the power of indestructibility from werewolf fangs. She was the woman in red who attempted to assassinate Supremo several times, and who destroyed many of his minions sent to capture the Moonchasers. She killed Barang. There is a lot of speculation about Jacintha’s true identity, although Barang exclaimed surprise before she died that Jacintha was not Lia; possibly Lyka. Angel plays Jacintha in the major part of this teleserye, and she reprised her role of Lia from Imortal in the first two episodes of this series.

Reception

Kantar Media National TV Ratings
(8:30PM PST)

Pilot Episode	Finale Episode	Peak	Average
33.9% June 19, 2017	TBD	36.8% September 19, 2017	TBD

Production

The writers of the series are Adam Cornelius Asin who wrote for the 2015 iteration of Pangako Sa'Yo and Mary Pearl Urtola who wrote for Dolce Amore.

Marketing

La Luna Sangre was first revealed during the network's trade launch on November 2016. After releasing another teaser trailer on late March 2017, the soap opera premiered on June 19, 2017.

Since May 15, 2017, ABS-CBN has started uploading all the episodes of Lobo and Imortal on the network's Youtube channel, as prior to the premiere of La Luna Sangre.

In October 4, 2017, iWant TV exclusively expands La Luna Sangre universe with "Youtopia" web series which centers on a group of friends whose friendships and trust in each other are tested, as they cross paths with the vampires of Sandrino’s army. The Youtopia's cast are Axel Torres (played as Ryan Magno), Edrei Tan (played as Charlie Magno), Kate Alejandrino (played as Nica Enriquez), Jal Galang (played as Benj Alvarado), Gabby Padilla (played as Viv Enriquez), Mary Joy Apostol (played as Alex Alvarado), and Larissa Alivio (played as Crystal Reyes).

Awards

• 31st PMPC Star Awards for TV's "Best Primetime Drama Series"
• 31st PMPC Star Awards for TV's "Best Male New TV Personality" (Tony Labrusca)

See also

• List of programs broadcast by ABS-CBN
• List of drama series of ABS-CBN
• List of vampire television series