A new take on Zorro is on its way from NBC, with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez co-writing the TV series, which centers around a The Mandalorian.
A sort of superhero of the poor and marginalized classes, Zorro was created by author Johnston McCulley in 1919. The character’s true identity is Don Diego de la Vega, son of one of the wealthiest landowners in the entire state of California. Equipped with a high degree of proficiency in the area of sword fighting, de la Vega earned the nickname of El Zorro from residents who ired his cunning and deft abilities to escape capture. Since the early days of the character’s creation over one hundred years ago, Zorro has appeared in an extensive and diverse list of books, films, television programs, comics, toys, and games. Without question, the fictional hero is one of the most widely recognized characters worldwide, turning up in the most unlikely of places.
As reported by Deadline, NBC is in the process of developing a new take on Zorro with a female protagonist. Robert Rodriguez will co-write the script with his sister Rebecca, who will also direct. The series will focus on Sola Dominguez, an underground artist who fights for justice under the Zorro moniker. Dominguez exposes numerous criminal underworld dealings and is perpetually under threat of being killed as a result. It’s still early days for the project, with no casting decisions or release date currently available.
It’s hard to say what sort of angle that the Rodriguez siblings will take with this beyond having a female protagonist, but there’s sure to be no shortage of excitement for both long-time fans of Zorro as well as newly acquired ones. Rodriguez’s career has always been a point of interest, mostly because he’s consistently shown an aptitude for creating action-packed and exciting stories regardless of any obstacles in his way. His 1992 debut feature, El Mariachi, was shot for a reported micro-budge of just $7,000. Rebecca has a sizeable TV directorial resume, giving her a substantial advantage when production begins.
NBC might seem like the wrong place for a program like Zorro at first. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have severely upped the ante when it comes to what a TV series can be, and in many ways, NBC still seems as though it’s out of touch with what today’s audiences want. For those Zorro fans out there who may feel concerned about this, it’s important to that the Rodriguez’s are a significant creative force and that as long as they are both on board, there’s every reason to remain confident.
Source: Deadline