Bad Bunny is reentering the ring—but this time, for the big screen.
According to Deadline, the Puerto Rican reggaeton star will lead Sony’s upcoming Marvel film El Muerto, portraying the title character, a known villain within the Spider-Man universe. The news was announced at CinemaCon yesterday, with the superstar making a surprise appearance to confirm the news.
Bad Bunny’s casting is a historic one: It marks the first time a Latino actor will helm a solo superhero film. (Oscar Isaac’s recent role in the Disney+ series Moon Knight makes him the first actor to accomplish the same feat on television.) El Muerto is expected to hit theaters January 12, 2024.
Per Deadline, El Muerto (also known as Juan-Carlos in the comics) is a wrestler with superpowers who eventually goes on to fight Spider-Man himself. Variety described the character as an antihero of sorts who struggles with the responsibility that comes with the powers passed on by his family.
The news suggests that Sony might envision an expanded future for the Spider-Man universe and makes us wonder if we’ll see Bad Bunny’s character in an eventual Miles Morales film. It would only make sense, considering Miles is known as the Afro-Latino Spider-Man. (His mother’s family hails from Puerto Rico, like Bad Bunny.)
Bad Bunny will be joining the cast of El Muerto after a busy few years. He made his acting debut in the final season of Narcos: Mexico last year and is starring alongside Hollywood A-listers like Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, and more in this summer’s Bullet Train. He’s also set to embark on his first stadium tour later this summer and release his highly anticipated album Un Verano Sin Ti.
