René “Residente” Pérez Joglar is moving behind the camera for one of the most ambitious projects of his career. The Puerto Rican rapper, filmmaker and actor is making his feature directorial debut with Porto Rico, an epic Caribbean western and historical drama inspired by real events in Puerto Rico during the turbulent final years of the 19th century. Production is now underway in the Dominican Republic, with Bad Bunny taking his first leading role in a feature film.
And the cast has become considerably bigger since the movie was first announced. Alongside Benito “Bad Bunny” Martínez Ocasio, the current lineup includes Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton, Richard Gadd, Rhenzy Feliz, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Daniel Brühl, Rubén Blades, Alberto Guerra, Marcel Ruiz, Arian Cartaya, Óscar Jaenada, Carmen Machi and Luis Tosar.
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© WireImageJavier Bardem was part of the original cast announcement in February 2026, but the latest production report says the film subsequently “lost” Bardem while adding its new Spanish cast members.
Here is everything currently known about Porto Rico.
What Is Residente’s ‘Porto Rico’ About?
Porto Rico has been described by its producers as an “epic Caribbean western and historical drama” inspired by true events. Residente co-wrote the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning co-writer of Birdman, as informed by Live Nation Newsroom.
© Getty Images for IMDbThe project has been developing for several years. When it was first reported in 2023, the story was described as being based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary José Maldonado Román, better known as Águila Blanca, or White Eagle, according to Dominican newspaper, Diario Libre.
Set around the end of the 19th century, the story follows a period when Puerto Rico was undergoing a dramatic transformation from Spanish colonial rule to American control.
Maldonado was involved in the 1897 Intentona de Yauco, an unsuccessful uprising against Spanish rule. Historical accounts describe him joining Fidel Vélez and other revolutionaries who gathered outside Yauco and marched toward the town.
Earlier descriptions of Residente's screenplay said Maldonado would lead a group of 17 former convicts as part of a story examining Puerto Rico's struggle over colonialism, resistance and national identity.
© Getty ImagesDeadline says the film will also address the events surrounding the United States' 1898 takeover of Puerto Rico from Spain. That history also explains the movie's title.
Why Is the Movie Called ‘Porto Rico’ Instead of ‘Puerto Rico’?
The missing “u” is intentional. After Puerto Rico came under U.S. control following the Spanish-American War, “Porto Rico” became the spelling used by the U.S. government. Federal law did not officially restore “Puerto Rico” as the island's name until May 17, 1932.
Residente has connected that linguistic change directly to the themes of his film. Speaking about the project in September 2026, he described Porto Rico as Puerto Rico seen through the perspective of a new colonizing power and suggested that losing a letter from the island's name symbolized losing power over how the country identified itself. “The loss of a single letter summarizes the loss of power over one's own name: occupying a country can also mean deciding what it is called,” indicated Residente, as informed by EFE Noticias.
That makes the title much more than a historical spelling choice. It points directly toward the movie's exploration of identity, political power and colonial control.
Bad Bunny Leads the ‘Porto Rico’ Cast
The biggest casting development is Bad Bunny's leading role. Benito Martínez Ocasio has appeared in films including Bullet Train and Caught Stealing, but Porto Rico marks his first lead role in a feature film.
© GC ImagesHis exact character has not officially been disclosed, as character details for the newly announced actors are being kept under wraps. Edward Norton also has a major role behind the scenes as one of the film's producers.
The Oscar-Winning Talent Behind the Camera
The filmmaking team extends well beyond Residente.
Academy Award-winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, whose credits include Slumdog Millionaire, is serving as director of photography. David Crank is the production designer, while Anna Terrazas is handling costume design.
Residente and Erick Douât are producing through 1868 Studios. Edward Norton, Bill Migliore and Michael Bederman are producing through Class 5 Films. The film is backed by Live Nation Studios and Class 5 Films along with several strategic financing partners.
© Getty ImagesPerhaps the most notable name among the executive producers is filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning director behind Birdman and The Revenant. Other executive producers currently listed include Michael Rapino, Ryan Kroft, Stella Bulochnikov, Scott Budnick, Kwanza Jones, José E. Feliciano, Mike and Sukey Novogratz, Noah Assad, Henry R. Muñoz III, Ric Elias, Sherrese Clarke, Niija Kuykendall, Regina Solórzano and Lakshmi Iyengar.
When Will ‘Porto Rico’ Be Released?
There is currently no announced release date for Porto Rico. Cameras are officially rolling in the Dominican Republic as of September 2026. No studio or distributor has announced a theatrical release date, streaming date or festival premiere. A trailer has also not been released.
‘Porto Rico’ Could Be a Major Moment for Caribbean Cinema
Porto Rico is notable not simply because Bad Bunny is starring in it or because Residente is directing. The production is positioning a Puerto Rican historical story as a large-scale Caribbean western with an international cast and an unusually decorated creative team. Rather than using the traditional American frontier as the setting for a western, the film applies elements of the genre to Puerto Rico's own history of rebellion, colonial rule and political transition.
Residente has also emphasized the significance of making the film in Spanish, recalling that he had previously encountered the argument that studios were not interested in Caribbean stories.
