Viva Films announced that they have cast Matteo Guidicelli as Pedro Penduko in an upcoming film adaptation that will simply be called Penduko. Matteo is replacing James Reid who had to back out of the project due to a spinal injury.
The upcoming film, which is slated for release in 2020, will be directed by Jason Paul Laxamana.
On Instagram, Matteo shared the good news by posting a shirtless photo. Need we say more?
Paul, who shared the same photo of Matteo on Instagram said, “#Penduko, no matter which incarnation you look at, has been consistent in being a platform to explore and showcase elements of Filipino folklore.”
In an interview, Matteo said, "Sobrang overwhelming kasi we all know Pedro Penduko is a big, big name in Philippine cinema and Philippine culture, kumbaga. So it's such an honor to hopefully carry it out with justice and with credibility."
Matteo, who went through military training this year when he joined the Philippine Army as a reservist, said that the training he received there will make a huge difference as he prepares for the role of Pedro.
Created by National Artist for Literature Francisco V. Coching, Pedro Penduko is a comic book character that first debuted in Liwayway magazine. Pedro Penduko has been portrayed by actors like Ramon Zamora, Janno Gibbs, and Matt Evans.
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