Hollywood star Antonio Banderas is well known for his excellent performance in several films. Still, one of his most iconic roles is easily Zorro, the masked vigilante from “The Mask of Zorro” in 1998 and its sequel “The Legend of Zorro.” The actor recently spoke about the possibility of a reboot and revealed the actor he’d like to take over the role of Zorro.
In 2016, director Jonas Cuaron announced his Zorro reboot titled “Z,” which would be a reimagination of the classic legend of the masked protector of justice. Earlier this year, the CW also placed an order for scripts on a female-led reimagination of the Zorro legend. The new story was created by Robert Rodriguez, Rebecca Rodriguez, Sean Tretta, and several others.
During a recent interview, Wilmer Valderrama also teased his new live-action Zorro series for Disney. He said the new series is different from previous Zorro projects and is also suited for this generation. When Valderrama was first attached to the series in 2021, he released a statement and called the opportunity his “dream come true.”
Read on to find out more.
Antonio Banderas Would Like Tom Holland To Be The New Zorro
During a recent interview with ComicBook, Banderas spoke about the possibility of starring in a third Zorro film. He said he would like to hand over the titular role to a new actor if a third installment in the franchise became a reality. Banderas rose to fame playing the masked vigilante in the 1998 original “The Mask of Zorro” and its 2005 sequel “The Legend of Zorro.”
He told ComicBook, “Yeah, I think today, I said something like that to somebody. They asked me about Zorro. If they called me to do Zorro, I would do what Anthony Hopkins did for me, which is to pass the torch.” Banderas then revealed that he would like to see actor Tom Holland as the next Zorro.
Banderas and Holland worked together on “Uncharted,” and he praised the “Spiderman: No Way Home” star’s performance in that film. Banderas said, “I did Uncharted with him, and he’s so energetic and fun, and he’s got this spark too. Why not?”
There Was A Zorro Reboot Announcement In 2016
There have been several Zorro reboots, such as director Jonas Cuaron’s reboot starring Gael Garcia Bernal. He made the announcement in 2016 while at a Berlin film festival and revealed that the film would re-imagine the classic legend of the masked swashbuckler.
Bernal is a talented actor with a Golden Globe award for Best Actor for his performance in the Amazon series “Mozart in the Jungle.” The film was reportedly a co-production between Mark Amin’s Sobini Films and Lantica Pictures.
Amin spoke about the project, saying, “I have always loved Gael for this role. Zorro is a hero who is charming, witty and clever. Gael possesses all those characteristic and he’s able to deliver them with a modern spin to introduce the Zorro character to a new audience.”
The CW Has A Female Zorro Project In The Works
The CW has joined the selection of studios exploring a reimagination of the Zorro tale. The studio has placed an order for additional scripts for a female-led reimagination of the classic Zorro story, bringing the total number of scripts for the series to 7.
According to Deadline, the gender-swapped new story hails from the minds of Robert Rodriguez, Rebecca Rodriguez, Sean Tretta, Ben Silverman, and CBS Studios. The studio has yet to specify the next step if the scripts get approval, but the Zorro team would likely get a straight-to-series order.
Wilmer Valderrama Has Also Teased A New Version Of The Masked Vigilante
During a May appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Valderrama also teased the new live-action Zorro project he’s working on. He told host Drew Barrymore that he’s trying a new angle on the Zorro tale and said his series is unlike the previous Zorro projects the world has seen.
He said, “This will be a Zorro for this generation. And it’ll be incredibly thoughtful with its origin story, and it’ll be grounded in authenticity.” When Valderrama was first attached to the series in 2021, he responded with a statement expressing his appreciation.
The “Encanto” star called the opportunity from Disney “a dream come true” and said, “Growing up, Zorro was the one character that made me, as a Latino, feel like I could be a hero. As an adult and a storyteller, I have a responsibility in the stories that I help bring to life.”