Zorrois apparently getting the small screen treatment for an upcoming TV series for NBC, and this time, the character will be a woman. The project comes as part of a first-look production deal between CBS Television Studios and Propagate, the production company led by Ben Silverman and Howard Owens.
Developed by Alfredo Barrios Jr. (Magnum PI), the re-imaginedZorrowill reportedly swap the titular hero with a female protagonist, rather than the typically-mustachioed man the swordsman is usually depicted as. While this gives us an all-new version of the classic character, the news is not particularly surprising, asgender-swapped rebootsare becoming increasingly common in movies and television.
A few vague details about the premise of the upcomingZorroTV series have also been revealed. Written and executive produced by Barrios Jr., the series is described as a modern-day retelling of the classicZorromythology. The story will follow Z, a female descendant of the warrior bloodline who will go to great lengths to protect the defenseless in her community. Usually, the Zorro character is depicted as a vigilante often seen wearing a cape, mask, and sombrero. Despite thefemale character change, it seems probable this new Z character will carry over some of these same traits with a look inspired by classicZorroillustrations. At the very least, she’ll likely be very skillful with a sword.
Other projects have gotten the green light at CBS as part of the new deal with Propagate as well. This includes the production of the seriesHomefrom writer and executive producer Jorge Reyes (Queen of the South), which is also set at NBC. The drama series follows a wealthy Puerto Rican family whose lives are upended when the patriarch dies, leaving ownership of his empire to his daughter. In one day, she becomes one of the most powerful women in Buffalo, and will have to “navigate the male-dominated world of real estate and professional sports, making decisions that could ruin the legacy her father built while keeping her family united.”
There have been many different versions of theZorrostory told since the character was first created in 1919. This includes a wide variety of movies released all across the world across the span of many decades. Some of us may best remember Antonio Banderas playing the role in the 2005 movie The Legend of Zorro. A planned crossover spin-off ofDjango Unchainedwith Django meeting Zorro is also in the works, withQuentin Tarantinotapping Jerrod Carmichael to write the screenplay. Still, the character has yet to be portrayed as female, making this new version an original take onZorro.
As the project is currently in its infancy, there’s no word yet on when we can expect to see theZorroTV series make its way to the small screen. This new take will certainly have its differences compared to other iterations of theZorrostory, but it definitely seems like it’s worth checking out for long-time fans of the character. This news comes to us fromDeadline.
