The film, which was originally slated to arrive on January 12, 2024, has been removed from the studio's calendar, two months after the 'Dakiti' singer hinted at its uncertain future.
- Jun 22, 2023
AceShowbiz - The future of Bad Bunny's superhero debut looks murky now. A Spider-Man spin-off titled "El Muerto", in which the Puerto Rican artist is set to star, has been removed from Sony Pictures' release schedule.
On Wednesday, June 21, the studio announced that it pulled the project from its calendar while shifting the dates of several other films. It was originally slated to arrived on January 12, 2024, but currently has no release date.
As part of the announcement, "Dumb Money", inspired by the GameStop sock frenzy, is moved from October 20 to September 22, while LaKeith Stanfield-led biblical epic "The Book of Clarence" is now taking over "El Muerto" spot after initially scheduled for September 22 release.
Sources say the project fell victim to the ongoing writers strike. The Hollywood Reporter says the script needed additional work as of mid-spring, but services could not be rendered in time. Deadline further reports that the film remains in development, but between Bad Bunny's tour schedule and the ongoing WGA strike, it makes finalizing a new date complicated.
"El Muerto" was announced at CinemaCon during Sony's panel back in April 2022. Sony Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch broke the news, while Bad Bunny also made a surprise appearance. "To bring El Muerto to life is just incredible .. so exciting," he told the crowd.
The "Mia" singer is tapped to portray the titular character, which will be Marvel's first live-action Latino lead in the movie. The character, known as Juan-Carlos Estrada Sanchez in the comics, is described as a wrestler whose powers are handed down by ancestry in the form of a mask.
In the comics, El Muerto has squared off with Spider-Man in the ring. It was reported that the upcoming movie will depict the character as an antihero on the verge of inheriting his father's power.
Prior to being removed from Sony's calender, Bad Bunny gave a disappointing update on the project. In an interview with Time Magazine published in April, he "feigned confusion" when asked about the movie.
His publicist said that the movie was "at a standstill," before quickly clarifying that it's "in development." Bad Bunny, meanwhile, joked that the studio may opt for "The Last of Us" actor Pedro Pascal to play the lead role instead of him, saying, "Maybe they'll switch me out for Pedro Pascal."
