Top NJPW Star Was Set To Star Alongside Bad Bunny In Postponed Spider-Man Film

Bad Bunny’s Spider-Man spinoff El Muerto has been postponed, and a new report reveals that NJPW’s Mercedes Mone was set to feature in the project as well.

While Mercedes Mone has made her name as a dominant force inside the squared circle, the former IWGP Women’s Champion has also branched out into the world of acting with her portrayal of Koska Reeves on the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. According to a new report from the Hollywood Reporter, the star was being heavily courted to feature in an upcoming Spider-Man spinoff project alongside hip hop megastar-turned-wrestler Bad Bunny.

The report notes that El Muerto, which was originally set for a January 2024 release, has been tabled due to the ongoing WGA writers’ strike. The film had not yet begun shooting and the script reportedly needed additional work. Bad Bunny’s touring schedule was also said to be a factor in the movie being shelved. The report notes that the future of the project is uncertain, as is whether or not Bunny can remain attached for long.

The rapper is said to have come across the character himself when looking through Spider-Man’s history, seeking out a Latino character her could portray. This would have been the first live-action Marvel project to star a Latino actor.

Bunny was set to start as the title character of the film, the son of a luchador and an anti-hero in the Spider-Man canon. In fact, the super-powered luchador nearly unmasked Spider-Man during a wrestling match between the two men.

According to some reports, Bunny is being considered for a match at SummerSlam after a phenomenal performance in a San Juan Street Fight at Backlash.

Mone, meanwhile, continues to recover from injury after hurting her ankle at NJPW STRONG Resurgence. On that occasion, she was set to become the inaugural NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion, but called for a change to the finish of the match when she realized she was injured. Willow Nightingale became the inaugural champion instead.

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