Sony’s Next Spider-Man Universe Movie Is… El Muerto?

Sony’s Next Spider-Man Universe Movie Is… El Muerto?

CinemaCon, a three-day event in Las Vegas, is one of those trade conventions that inevitably turns into a pop culture press event, as big studios take the opportunity to get on centre stage and share their plans for the next few years. And boy howdy, did Sony ever take advantage of the moment. According to our own man on the ground, Germain Lussier, we have a lot to look forward to, including the first 15 minutes of Across the Spider-Verse.

First, and possibly the most surprising, is the announcement that El Muerto, an incredibly minor Spider-Man character (like, two issues minor), is getting his own stand-alone film. Even more surprising is the fact that Bad Bunny, the highly acclaimed Puerto Rican musician who sometimes moonlights as a pro-wrestler, has been cast in the role. When asked for translation help, one of my coworkers offered this quote: “I am so happy I could die,” said Earther writer Angely Mercado, who adores Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio.

El Muerto, the character, is a masked luchador — inheriting his titular mask from a generations of family wrestlers, granting him enhanced strength — who is set up against Spider-Man in cage fight. Bad Bunny, to many, would not be the first choice for an ultra-macho wrestler, but Mercado has followed Bad Bunny’s wrestling career for some time. “There are a lot of early 2000’s pop culture references in his music, and he even has a whole song and music video about wrestler Booker T. They appeared in that music video together so I’m not surprised that his inspirations and influences are creating more opportunities for Bad Bunny,” she said in a Slack comment.

Also in the pipeline are two sequels: a second Ghostbusters (or is it fifth?) is in the works, but there’s been no details released regarding which cast is going to be starring. While it’s being tentatively titled Ghostbusters: Afterlife II, we literally have nothing else.

Another fun release that was confirmed was Venom 3! I, an unashamed Venom stan, am delighted by the chance to watch yet another romcom starring Tom Hardy and Tom Hardy distorted x10. Because of the multiverse jumping between Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s not totally clear if Venom will actually meet a Spider-Man in this film.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group Chairman/CEO Tom Rothman made the announcements during CinemaCon last night. They also noted that Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web are on the docket alongside other 2023 releases.