NBC, the television broadcasting company, is looking to create Zorro (most likely a television series). Sibling filmmakers – director Robert Rodriguez and writer – director Rebecca Rodriguez will be teaming up with ‘Modern Family’ star Sofia Vergara through her production company Latin World Entertainment (Latin We), Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owen through his production house Propagate to bring forth a gender swapped Zorro. CBS will also co-produce the project with Universal TV.
Most (or all, actually) depictions of the 1919 created fictional character, Zorro have been set between mid 18th century to early-to-mid 19th century and the character has always been a man. This time, Zorro will get a change in gender – the title character will be a woman and the series will be set in current times, like the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman version of Sherlock Holmes and Watson respectively in ‘Sherlock’.
The project will be co-written by the aforementioned brother-sister duo – Robert and Rebecca Rodriguez, the latter of whom will be directing the “most likely” television series. ‘Zorro’ will be about an underground artist, Sola Dominguez, who fights against social injustice, similar to the present day version of the mythological Zorro. As she takes on several criminal organisations and threatens to expose them, she will doggedly followed by the ones she hunts, placing herself in grave danger.
Robert Rodriguez and Rebecca Rodriguez, aforementioned Silverman, Owens, Rodney Ferrell, Greg Lipstone and Jay Weisleder for Propagate, Vergara and Luis Balaguer for LatinWe, Geoff Clark, Eric Bromberg and John Gertz will all act as executive producers for this project. Propagate will be looking to make this a television series as part of one of its first projects under its first-look deal with CBS Studios.
Robert Rodriguez was actually going to direct the Antonio Banderas starring feature ‘The Mask of Zorro’ before leaving the feature project due to budgetary concerns. The film still went on to be a commercial hit with Martin Campbell helming the movie. We hope this upcoming series will have both the critics and crowd raving about the female ‘Zorro’ which will hopefully have a brilliant story and a fleshed out message.