Sony has announced that they have greenlit a spin-off film for Spider-Man universe wrestler El Muerto.
El Muerto will be portrayed by Grammy award-winning Puerto Rican rapper Benito Ocasio, better known by stage name Bad Bunny. The film was confirmed today at CinemaCon, during Sony’s presentation. The role came about after Sony and Bad Bunny had been searching for potential roles in the company’s Marvel franchise.
The musician will join the illustrious world that already features Venom and Morbius, with Ocasio’s El Muerto becoming the first Latin American superhero to headline a film. The announcement coincided with reveals for Venom 3, and footage for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Bad Bunny is a known fan of wrestling, having taken part in WWE events as recently as Jan. 2022, so his attachment to a comic book wrestler is not a far cry. The choice to bring a truly unknown comics character to the screen is a gamble, especially in wake of Morbius failing to appease critics or audiences beyond ironic appreciation.
This won’t be Ocasio’s first acting credit, with him previously starring in crime drama Narcos: Mexico on television.
El Muerto is set to release Jan. 12 2024, but currently has no director or writer attached to the project.