Super Bowl halftime hero Bad Bunny is trading the stage for the big screen, leading an all-star cast in an upcoming major movie.
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The film will also mark the directorial debut of renowned rapper René “Residente” Pérez Joglar and is described by Deadline as a tribute to his homeland, Puerto Rico.
The film, Porto Rico, is a Caribbean western meets historical drama starring Benito “Bad Bunny” Martínez Ocasio. Of course, the headline-making rapper had already been stealing scenes in Bullet Train and Caught Stealing.
Bad Bunny will star alongside an impressive cast in his upcoming movie, which includes Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence), Edward Norton (Fight Club), and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men). Meanwhile, multi-Oscar-winning director and producer Alejandro G. Iñárritu will serve as executive producer.
Residente co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman). According to Deadline, the film is a historical drama set in the late 19th century. It is based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary José Maldonado Román, also known as Águila Blanca (White Eagle). Román led a gang of ex-convicts to fight against colonialism as Puerto Rico struggled to establish its national identity.
“I have dreamed of making a film about my country since I was a child. Puerto Rico’s true history has always been surrounded by controversy,” Residente gushed, per Deadline. “This film is a reaffirmation of who we are — told with the intensity and honesty that our history deserves.”
Bad Bunny’s New Movie News Comes Fresh Off the Heels of His Super Bowl Halftime Performance
Of course, the movie announcement comes hot on the heels of Bad Bunny’s smash-hit Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8. In a performance that was a love letter to his native Puerto Rico, every detail was carefully woven with the fabric, food, and festive spirit of the Boricua people.
It seems many travelers were feeling Bunny’s Puerto Rico vibes. The show, watched by a massive 128.2 million viewers, has sent flight searches to the island soaring by 245% from February 8-11 compared to last year.
Meanwhile, signs suggest Bad Bunny’s upcoming movie will be primarily in Spanish. Bardem is a native of Spain, and American actors Norton and Mortensen are both fluent in the language.