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Former NWA Champion and lucha libre legend Blue Demon Jr. appears to have departed the Disney comedy that was to feature him in a leading role as well as incorporate the mythos of the Blue Demon character.
Earlier today, Disney isssued a press release announcing they had cast actor J.R. Villarreal as Cruz de la Vega in their forthcoming Disney Channel action comedy series Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion. This was the series initially titled Ultra Violet & Blue Demon.
Villarreal will be playing "a luchador wrestling coach with the secret superhero identity Black Scorpion" in the series, effectively replacing Blue Demon Jr. in the role originally written and created for Demon. Demon took part in filming the initial pilot episode, but whether that will ever used by Disney now remains to be seen.
Scarlett Estevez remains on the series as Violet Rodriguez, a teenager who is chosen by a magical luchador mask to become a superhero, like her uncle, now the Black Scorpion character. Ultra begins her own secret superhero training under her uncle, all while having to navigate the ups and downs of school.
The series entered development in February 2020 and was picked up for a full series order in January 2021. The original plan was to debut the series this Fall. They are shooting right now in New Orleans but there is no word of when the series will debut on the Disney Channel.
There is no word as to why Demon Jr. may have exited the project. He is no longer listed as attached in any form. As of this writing, Demon has not commented publicly.
Eric Garcia and Leo Chu are attached executive producers and showrunners on Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion. Joe Nussbaum, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit will also executive produce.
Disney's official press release reads:
J.R. VILLARREAL CAST IN DISNEY CHANNEL'S SUPERHERO ACTION COMEDY, 'ULTRA VIOLET & BLACK SCORPION'
J.R. Villarreal ("Akeela and the Bee") has been cast as Cruz de la Vega, a luchador wrestling coach with the secret superhero identity "Black Scorpion" in Disney Channel's new live-action comedy series "Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion." The series (formerly titled "Ultra Violet & Blue Demon") stars Scarlett Estevez ("BUNK'D") as Violet Rodriguez, a Latinx teenager who is chosen by a magical luchador mask to be a superhero, like her uncle, Black Scorpion.
The series also stars Marianna Burelli as Violet's mother, Nina; Juan Alfonso as Violet's father, Juan Carlos; Brandon Rossel as Violet's brother, Santiago; Zelia Ankrum as Violet's best friend, Maya Miller-Martinez; and Bryan Blanco as Violet's classmate, Luis León.
Eric Garcia and Leo Chu will be executive producers and showrunners on "Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion." Joe Nussbaum, Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit will also executive produce.
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