Filipinos are fond of the superhero story, where a man saves the weak and makes the day better. National Artist for the Visual Arts Francisco Conching had the same thing in mind. In 1994, he created the character we know of today as Pedro Penduko. In the character’s reboot this year, Pinoy Big Brother Big Winner James Reid was chosen to portray the character. His girlfriend Nadine Lustre will join him in the movie which is set to hit theaters in 2018.
Pedro Penduko is a Filipino superhero character. In the comics, the character was from a family of a hero descent. But he was a coward, unlike his family members. Meanwhile, Kapamilya actor Matt Evans portrayed the TV series under the same. In the TV adaptation, Penduko had a necklace that gave him powers. Mutya is what they call it. However, in a movie adaptation, singer Janno Gibbs gave life to the character.
James Reid transforms into Pedro Penduko
In the reboot, Estolatan introduces an origin story. The character’s name will be Peter Harris. He is a Filipino-American who lived in the United States ever since he was born. He comes back to the Philippines as a scared, and wimpy adult. An adoptive father raised him. Bullied in his younger years, Harris feels like he doesn’t belong.
When he arrived in the Philippines, he encounters a life-changing event. His adoptive father dies of a supernatural-caused death. Upon his father’s death, he ventures out to a journey where he tries to find his mother. They haven’t seen each other since his birth. He later finds out that an evil creature called Eastern Kasamaan cursed them.
Although he’s scared, Harris tries to find the cure for his family’s curse. There, he discovers himself as Penduko. He discovers more things about himself and his identity.
Writer Estolatan aims to reconnect the millennials with the new Pedro Penduko. It is a new generation. Therefore, the superheroes we grew up with should transform to the current generation as well. He hopes to revitalize the dated superhero image of Penduko to the new audience.
As James Reid restructures himself as the new Pedro Penduko, he starts training as well. In a video posted by VIVA Entertainment, Reid works with a staff. The staff is an iconic weapon that Penduko used either in comics or in live action adaptations. He is also seen working out in a gym and trying to shape into the wimpy body Penduko has.
“Training is so fun,” Reid claimed in an interview. “I am learning a lot every day. I feel like a kid playing with weapons. It’s really difficult. My legs are killing me. It’s really hard,” he added.