El Muerto is getting a big-screen adaptation. Bad Bunny (actual name Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio), a popstar and Latin music phenomenon, has been cast as El Muerto, the lead character in Sony’s Spider-Man universe, which will hit theatres in January 2024.
Sony has spent the last few years attempting to develop its own universe independent from the MCU’s well-known characters. Sony is busy producing an array of characters to confront and maybe partner up with its most treasured character, Spider-Man, starting with Venom in 2018, its sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage in 2021, and the recently released Morbius. The Sony Spider-Man world is in full swing, with more flicks on the pipeline, including Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web.
While Venom and Morbius may not have the star power of other Marvel characters, casting Tom Hardy and Jared Leto in the starring roles helped push them from comic book heroes to big-screen attractions. This is what makes the El Muerto film’s announcement so intriguing. This will be the first Marvel film to include a Spanish-speaking hero, and Sony’s decision to choose a Latin music superstar over a veteran actor could be a risky move.
Who Is El Muerto?
El Muerto is a Spider-Man sidekick who first appeared in issue #6 of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in 2006. Juan Carlos Estrada Sanchez is his real name, while El Muerto is a family moniker that has been passed down from father to son for several generations. However, it is not simply the name that is passed along; it is also the magical mask’s power and tremendous strength.
El Muerto is descended from a long line of Latin wrestlers known as Luchadors, who compete in the Lucha Libra form of professional wrestling, which has long been a staple of Mexican popular culture.
From Violent Origins
Sanchez’s fate was written in the stars when he was a child. He was raised in the art of combat, having been trained by his father since birth to one day take up the El Muerto mantle. When the time comes for the younger Sanchez to take his father’s mask, he is confronted by a bizarre figure understood only as El Dorado, whom Juan must defeat in order to prove he is worthy of the powerful mask.
But, out of fear, he refuses to fight, and his father is obliged to defend him. This leads to the most traumatic event of his life: El Dorado ripping his father’s head from his body. El Dorado offers Juan a life-changing opportunity while he is clutching his father’s mask. Juan is given 10 years to explore the world and find his courage by the villain, who admires his father’s bravery. He is to challenge and fight another disguised foe and unmask him when these ten years are up (a significant insult in the world of Mexican wrestling). If you don’t, El Dorado will put an end to Juan’s life. As per an article by Collider.
