Biopic On Cassandro, The Liberace Of Lucha Libre, Gets Release Date
There's more than one new wrestling biopic hitting the film landscape. While considerable attention has been paid to "The Iron Claw" about the Von Erichs, "Cassandro" — Roger Ross Williams' movie on "The Liberace of Lucha Libre" drew rave reviews earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. And now Amazon Prime Video has found a place for "Cassandro" on its release calendar. The film will hit select theaters on September 15 before it moves to streaming on Prime Video as of September 23.
Go behind the mask with Gael García Bernal as he plays the real-life Liberace of Lucha Libre in the inspirational film #Cassandro – in select U.S. theaters September 15 and streaming globally September 22. pic.twitter.com/v5QzmDZYWN
— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) June 15, 2023
"Cassandro" will be Williams' second film on the luchador, having previously made the documentary short "The Man Without a Mask" in 2016. Gael Garcia Bernal stars as Cassandro, while rapper and occasional WWE wrestler Bad Bunny will appear in a supporting role. The film will also feature Cassandro's old rival, El Hijo del Santo, who will portray himself.
Born Saúl Armendáriz in El Paso, Texas, on May 20, 1970, Cassandro trained under Rey Misterio Sr., the uncle of WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, before debuting in 1988 at 18 years old. Initially working under a gladiator gimmick, the openly gay Cassandro was inspired to become an exotico — a male wrestler who portrays a gay caricature in drag.
After joining the Universal Wrestling Association in 1989, Cassandro would adopt his now-famous personaSplitting time between Mexico and the US, Cassandro's most prominent run came with the UWA, where he feuded with del Santo, teamed with fellow exotico and future Lucha Underground star Pimpinela Escarlata, and won the UWA World Lightweight Title in 1992. He would later work for AAA in the mid-2000s, feuding and teaming with Escarlata, and has since worked the Mexican and U.S. independents, including appearances for Ring of Honor and GCW. Cassandro briefly signed with TNA in 2009 but was released before debuting on TV; he would later tell friends he left the promotion out of fear those who would be writing his character were homophobic.