LOS ANGELES — Global superstar Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) is set to take on his most significant acting role to date in the upcoming film “Porto Rico,” as announced by producers on February 19, 2026.
The film comes on the heels of Bad Bunny’s historic Grammy win for Album of the Year (a first for an all-Spanish language album) and his widely acclaimed Super Bowl LX halftime show performance earlier this February.
Key Details of the Film:
- Director: The movie marks the directorial debut of Grammy-winning rapper and Calle 13 founder René “Residente” Pérez Joglar.
- Plot: Described as a cross between a “Caribbean western” and a historical drama, the film tells the story of José Maldonado Román, also known as “Águila Blanca” (White Eagle). He was a real-life revolutionary who fought against colonialism in the late 19th century.
- All-Star Cast: Joining Bad Bunny are Hollywood heavyweights Viggo Mortensen, Javier Bardem, and Edward Norton.
- Production Team: The project is produced by Academy Award-winner Alejandro González Iñárritu and Edward Norton.
A Statement of Identity
Residente stated that he had been searching for a lead who “feels Puerto Rico as deeply as I do” to bring the island’s true history to the screen. Bad Bunny, who celebrated Puerto Rican culture during his Super Bowl performance—despite public criticism from Donald Trump regarding the use of Spanish—is viewed as the perfect fit for the role.
Edward Norton praised the duo, describing Residente as a “visual visionary” and comparing the pairing of the two artists to a “flame finding a stick of dynamite.”
While Bad Bunny has previously appeared in Bullet Train and Caught Stealing, “Porto Rico” is expected to be his first major dramatic lead, further cementing his status as a multi-talented global icon.