Fresh off his critically-lauded work on The Mandalorian, Robert Rodriguez has set his sights on another familiar hero. Deadline brings word that Rodriguez is developing a new Zorro TV series for NBC. But in this incarnation, the swashbuckling vigilante will be played by a female lead.
Zorro will center on an underground artist named Sola Dominguez, who adopts the titular mantle as a crusader against injustice. Unlike prior versions, it sounds like this Zorro takes place in the present day rather than the 18th or 19th centuries. The series will also pit Sola’s alter-ego against a few different criminal organizations who target her after she exposes their illegal activities.
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Rodriguez is co-writing the series with his sister, Rebecca Rodriguez, who has previously directed episodes of Doom Patrol, The Chi, and TNT’s Snowpiercer. Rebecca is directing Zorro as well. The Rodriguez siblings will executive produce the show alongside a team that also includes Progagate’s Ben Siverman and Howard T. Owens as well as former Modern Family star Sofia Vergara. Silverman and Owens previously attempted to develop a Zorro series last year with Alfredo Barrios Jr. writing the story. That version also planned to re-imagine Zorro as a woman.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t Robert Rodriguez’s first brush with the story of Zorro. He was originally chosen to direct 1998’s The Mask of Zorro and even cast Antonio Banderas in the title role. However, he ended up leaving the movie over budgetary concerns. Banderas remained with the film when Martin Campbell filled the director’s chair.
What do you think of NBC’s plans for Zorro? Who would you cast to play Sola on the series? Let us know in the comment section below!
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