Sony Expands Their Corner Of The Marvel Universe With El Muerto Movie
While Sony doesn't own nearly the roster of Marvel characters that Disney has access to, they're still looking to expand their little corner of the Marvel universe. Following on the major success of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and the heels of the recent vampire flick "Morbius," they're going to release another Marvel movie with a character many fans might not know: El Muerto.
"El Muerto" will follow a Latino superhero who also moonlights as a Luchador and must overcome his fears in order to carry on his family's legacy. El Muerto will be played by none other than Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. This news comes from Sony's presentation at CinemaCon, and Bad Bunny was on hand to share a few words.
A Super-Luchador
"El Muerto" will be the first Latino character to lead a Marvel live-action film, making this a pretty big moment. In the comics, El Muerto gets his superpowers and wrestling mask from his family line, and they are passed down through the generations as long as the new El Muerto can prove themselves by defeating the evil El Dorado. Juan Carlos Estrada is the latest member of the family to take on the mask and title, though he's too afraid and his father dies trying to stop El Dorado. The villain gave Juan Carlos a decade to gain his bravery, then duel another wrestler. If he can unmask the other wrestler, he will regain the right to be El Muerto. He ends up fighting Spider-Man, in a match organized by J. Jonah Jameson that almost ended with Peter Parker's identity revealed. Later, Spider-Man rescues El Muerto from El Dorado for "failing" the test, and the two end up working together to try and defeat the villain once and for all.
At CinemaCon, Bad Bunny shared his excitement about the upcoming film:
"This opportunity to bring El Muerto to life is amazing, it's incredible. I grew up loving wrestling, and this is why I love this character."
There's no word on a director or other cast members yet, but stay tuned. The film is set to release on January 12, 2024.