In his first leading film role, Benito ‘Bad Bunny’ Martínez Ocasio (“Bullet Train,” “Caught Stealing”) will star in the Caribbean western and historical drama “Porto Rico”.
Multiple Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning rapper René ‘Residente’ Pérez Joglar makes his feature directorial debut with the film, described as a love letter to Puerto Rico. Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton and Javier Bardem will co-star
Residente and Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (“Birdman”) co-wrote the screenplay while “The Revenant” filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu executive produces.
The original plans for the film were based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary José Maldonado Román, known as Águila Blanca/White Eagle, during the late 19th century.
Román fought against colonialism by leading a gang of ex-convicts to vindicate Puerto Rico as it sought its identity as a country. Spain ceded sovereignty in 1898 after losing the Spanish-American War.
It’s not clear if that’s still the plan, but the film “blends historical scope with a visceral, lyrical approach and a gripping narrative inspired by true events”.
The news follows on from Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance earlier this month.
Source: Deadline
