Kraken: The Black Book of Hours (Spanish: Kraken: El libro negro de las horas) is a 2026 Spanish thriller film directed by Manuel Sanabria and Joaquín Llamas based on the novel El libro negro de las horas by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. It stars Alejo Sauras alongside Maggie Civantos and Natalia Rodríguez.
Contents
Plot
It is set in between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Madrid. After receiving an anonymous call, former inspector Unai López de Ayala "Kraken" sees himself pressed to find the book Libro negro de las horas in a race against time to save his mother, teaming up with former Ertzaintza coworker Esti. Albino cop Mencía Madariaga, an officer of the Brigade of Historical Heritage of the Community of Madrid, also comes into action.
Production
Developed by Rocío Martínez and Juan Carlos Cueto, the screenplay adapts the novel El libro negro de las horas (Planeta, 2022) by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. The film is an Isla Audiovisual and Zebra Producciones (Grupo iZen) production. Shooting locations in Vitoria-Gasteiz included the Fundación Sancho el Sabio and the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. In Madrid, the crew shot in the Barrio de las Letras, the Instituto Cervantes, and El Retiro Park.
Release
The film was presented at the 29th Málaga Film Festival on 13 March 2026. Distributed by Vértice 360, it was released theatrically in Spain on 24 April 2026.
Reception
In a 1-star rating, Manuel J. Lombardo of Diario de Sevilla found everything in the thriller film to "feel a bit fake and impostured" otherwise assessing every twist in the film to be over-explained.
Begoña del Teso of Diario Vasco decried "how awful, how clumsy, how flat!" is the film adaptation.