There is a new Pinoy superhero in town.
James Reid made a special appearance at the opening day of the HISTORY Con 2017 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
The 24-year-old Kapamilya star announced that he will be taking on the role of Pedro Penduko in a film reboot under VIVA Films and Epik Studios in 2018.
James admitted that he had "never played a superhero before" and that this would be his "first time to [take] on a big role."
He will be the fifth actor to play Pedro Peduko with Janno Gibbs and Matt Evans among the actors who last appeared as the character in film and television, respectively.
SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS. Netizens had mixed reactions to the Filipino-Australian actor portraying the all-Pinoy comic book character of National Artist for Visual Arts Francisco V. Conching.
While most showed their unwavering support for their idol, others weren't enthused with James as the top choice.
However, Epik Studios' re-imagination of the Pedro Penduko series—which began with the release of the studios' first official graphic novel Pedro Penduko: The Legend Begins—helped put some perspective to James' casting.
Pedro Penduko: The Legend Begins had a soft launch at the 2016 Asia Pop Comic Con.
The graphic novel later had its grand launch at the New York Comic Con 2016, which became the first time a Filipino character was released at a prestigious international convention.
This re-imagining of the Pedro Penduko story was an attempt for the creative studio to expand the comic's universe and introduce the story to the current generation.
With that in mind, readers were introduced to Peter Harris.
Its synopsis read: "Peter Harris feels like he doesn't belong. A Filipino who lived all his life in the U.S. where he grew up bullied since grade school.
"Now 20 years old, he has had enough and wants to escape.
"Just then, his adoptive father passes away in a tragic accident involving something supernatural that nobody can explain.
"It will all unfold to him when he goes back to the Philippines to look for his mother whom he hasn't seen since he was an infant.
"When he finds her, he learns that she has been a victim of a curse given by the ruler of Eastern Kasamaan...
"Does a loser and a whiny wimp like him has what it takes to take on the role of the new Pedro Penduko?"
Here's a look at the first concept art of James as "Peter Harris" or the new Pedro Penduko as drawn by artist Jerome Jagonia.
The graphic novel is available at the Epik Studios booth in HISTORY Con 2017. It is ongoing until today at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
This story originally appeared on Pep.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Candymag.com editors.
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