The All Encompassing Zorro thread

[Dr. Evil]

Zero experience with English? Are you talking about Banal? He hasn't done a big American tentpole film yet but he's done plenty of roles where he spoke English; From Science of Sleep to The King to Letters to Juilet.

And BTW who was Antonio Banderes when he did the Mask of Zorro?

I was referring to the fact that Bernal is the safer choice rather than an unknown from Latin America who speaks no English. Bernal is a excellent English speaker. By hiring Bernal the studio doesn't have to waste money on translators to translate between English and Spanish. If they hire an unknown who speaks little to no English, they would have to hire a translator to transcribe the script from English to Spanish and another one to translate between the Spanish speaking actor who knows little English and an English speaking director while he himself tries to master English. You don't have this problem with Bernal. He speaks excellent English and no translators are required.

Banderas was in Philadelphia in a minor role pre Mask of Zorro.

 

[chamber-music]

Antonio Banderes was in Mambo Kings, Interview With The Vampire, Desperado, Four Rooms, Assassins and Evita before he did Zorro.

Before Banderes started making films in English in the 90s he was famous in Spain and well known in some Spanish speaking countries and amongst the many people who watch foreign films especially in Europe.

Gael Garcia Bernal studied at The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in London. He speaks better English than some English people do.

 

[dark_b]

- "My name is Alejandro Fox"

(Zorro = Fox)

i had to google it to know for sure. its true hahahahaha

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I love Mask of Zorro, and despite my expectations and dread of watching the sequel, I don't see the hate it's got, I think of it that way after watching it

The idea behind this new story is intriguing, for a Zorro story

 

[slumcat]

Edgar Ramirez should be the top choice to play Zorro. The man could play heroic or badass in his sleep. Very talented.

But I hated that concept footage, it looks like rubbish. If at all they are making it, it should be a period adaptation.

But I really wonder if a Zorro film would work today. I wonder if there is an audience.

 

[chamber-music]

Instead of a post apocalyptic futuristic Zorro movie they should make a Zorro film set in modern times. They could have him face of against the Mexican drug cartels like a west coast Batman.

 

[gwynplaine]

I could see Demian Bichir play an older Zorro.

 

[Lord]

Instead of a post apocalyptic futuristic Zorro movie they should make a Zorro film set in modern times. They could have him face of against the Mexican drug cartels like a west coast Batman.

Where did that come from?

 

[Octoberist]

I don't the idea of a modern day Zorro, but a futuristic Zorro screams 'Poochie'.

Seriously, I still think the 'Poochie' episode of The Simpsons encapsulates the contrived nature of Hollywood's obsession of being 'cool, hip, and edgy' where they're not. They're just looking at the wrong data.

 

[Breogan]

Edgar Ramirez should be the top choice to play Zorro. The man could play heroic or badass in his sleep. Very talented.

Agree on Ramirez would make a great classic Zorro De La Vega version.

But I hated that concept footage, it looks like rubbish. If at all they are making it, it should be a period adaptation.

Well this is Fox's version, they gained the rights to a future adaptation.
There is a separate Zorro movie in production from Sony. Which is what this thread first began about-
The Sony version would be a period piece, about the classic De La Vega Zorro origin, set in 1800 Los Angeles California. And would be an origin story based on the original McCully story, and the updated Allende Zorro novel.

But I really wonder if a Zorro film would work today. I wonder if there is an audience.

Sadly Disney's Lone Ranger film will probably be used as a barometer to judge the popularity of a classic Zorro film.
Especially one set in a more classic, traditional time and setting.
I think if Lone Ranger had been a huge success, Sonny would have forged ahead with their version.
Now not so much.

Ironically some of the domain names Sony had registered.

theforgingofzorro-movie.com
theforgingofzorro-movie.net
theforgingofzorro.com
theforgingofzorro.net
theforgingofzorromovie.com

thelegendbegins-movie.com
thelegendbegins-movie.net
thelegendbeginsmovie.com

zorrothelegendbegins-movie.com
zorrothelegendbegins-movie.net
zorrothelegendbegins.com
zorrothelegendbegins.net
zorrothelegendbeginsmovie.com

 

[Octoberist]

I feel like a film like this about a Future Zorro is beneath Edgar. Sure he did Clash of the Titans but I'm sure it was a one shot for him and a supportint role. And a nice paycheck I'm sure.

 

[Loki882]

Agree on Ramirez would make a great classic Zorro De La Vega version.

Well this is Fox's version, there is a separate Zorro movie in production from Sony. Which is what this thread first began about-
The Sony version would be a period piece, about the classic De La Vega Zorro origin, set in 1800 Los Angeles California. And would be an origin story based on the original McCully story, and the updated Allende Zorro novel.


Sadly Disney's tremendous Lone Ranger film will probably be used as a barometer to judge the popularity of a classic Zorro film in a more traditional time and setting.

Lone Ranger isn't really a fair barometer. It was an overly-long, bloated, poorly written movie where the title hero was treated like a joke up until the very end. Also, the budget was WAY TOO large ($200 million+ Western, that's ludicrous) and the marketing was poor. The Mask of Zorro did quite well both critically and financially. If you make a decent movie, market it properly, and keep the budget under control, then I see no evidence that it can't be successful.

 

[Breogan]

Lone Ranger isn't really a fair barometer.

Nope, didn't imply it was, just that the studio developing Zorro might use it as one, which would be sad.
I hope SONY still goes ahead with their classic Zorro origin, despite that.

 

[Airwings]

Zorro is a big icon in pop culture. But it seems like they are watering down the story too much if they put him in the future.

 

[Breogan]

Zorro is a big icon in pop culture. But it seems like they are watering down the story too much if they put him in the future.

Maybe, but then did Batman Beyond, & Phantom 2049 "water down" those franchise? Or just expand on them?

Zorro was already a legacy character passing the mantle and mask to future gens. before those two.

 

[TX85]

Meh I still prefer my Zorro in the past and as a swashbuckler,The test trailer seems like Zorro Generation Z:The Movie..Which is like Batman Beyond and I liked both but nah.

However I'd probably be excited anyway since I want a new Zorro film in any form on the big screen,I'd love Gael Garcia Bernal in the role

 

[Breogan]

Meh I still prefer my Zorro in the past and as a swashbuckler,The test trailer seems like Zorro Generation Z:The Movie..Which is like Batman Beyond and I liked both but nah.

Sure, and if I had to chose one I'd prefer a classic Batman, to a Batman beyond, but I wouldn't begrudge or be closed minded to them trying a Batman Beyond in film, nor did I when it was announced in animation.
Especially since the history of the Zorro character lends itself even more to it.
It really comes down to how it's pulled off.
Yeah that test footage didn't do the concept any favors, but to pretend Zorro only belongs in the past is BS, when the character passing the mantle to the future generations has been a large part of the character from almost the get go.

That said. If only one gets made, I would prefer the SONY version telling the full De La Vega origin gets made.
That has yet to be done on film.
(although that will probably be greeted with equal amounts of whining people going - whyyy do we neeed another Zorro remaaake?)

 

[TX85]

Sure, and if I had to chose one I'd prefer a classic Batman, to a Batman beyond, but I wouldn't begrudge or be closed minded to them trying a Batman Beyond in film, nor did I when it was announced in animation.
Especially since the history of the Zorro character lends itself even more to it.
It really comes down to how it's pulled off.
Yeah that test footage didn't do the concept any favors, but to pretend Zorro only belongs in the past is BS, when the character passing the mantle to the future generations has been a large part of the character from almost the get go.

Yeah true but I never said the character belongs just in the past,I simply meant it as my preference,I already said I'd probably be excited anyway.

I'd be open minded for a modern day or future Zorro,I actually liked most of the test trailer but just want another classic Zorro is all,Prequel/Sequel/Reboot set in any time would be fine by me

IF this test trailer footage was for an actual movie I'd still be there on opening night or even midnight

 

[Breogan]

Yes! Looks like Sony/Columbia Pictures is pushing threw with their take on the Allende novel. -

http://www.superherohype.com/news/294417-playwright-chris-boal-to-rewrite-zorro-reboot

....they've hired professional fencer/playwright-turned-screenwriter Chris Boal (the brother of The Hurt Locker scribe Mark Boal) to rewrite the draft previously scripted by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia, in turn based on the 2005 Isabel Allende novel that served as a mock biography of he fictional character. That book is officially described as follows:

Hmm professional fencer and scribe, this seems interesting. Hopefully he will focus on elements of La Destreza & The Mysterious Circle, which defined Spanish fencing.
A style which included sword and dagger; sword and cloak.
It always bugged me that a dagger in the other hand wasn't always part of Zorro's regular arsenal.

There will be swordplay, combined with the martial arts that came from Europe and created a deadly combination of action and lethal fighting systems that combined swords, daggers, grappling and bare knuckles.

Sounds like they nailed it.

Born in Southern California in the late eighteenth century, Diego de la Vega is a child of two worlds. His father is an aristocratic Spanish military man turned landowner, his mother a Shoshone warrior. From his father, Diego receives lessons in the art of fencing and in cattle branding; from his maternal grandmother, White Owl, he learns the ways of her tribe. As a child he also witnesses the brutal injustices dealt Native Americans by European settlers and begins to feel the inner conflict of his dual heritage.

This epic inner conflict of the character that Allende nailed down, the character torn between two worlds, one representing his father, the old world, the other his mother, the new.
That this writer will make this the focus at the core and the conflict of the character, gives me great confidence so far in the direction of this movie.

At the age of sixteen, Diego is sent to Barcelona to be educated. Spain is chafing under the corruption of Napoleonic rule, and Diego, following the example of his celebrated fencing master, joins La Justicia, a secret underground resistance movement devoted to helping the powerless and the poor.

Besides developing the connection and training from the Mothers side, the other Spanish side(Fathers) La Justicia was one of the most intriguing parts of the Novel. I'm so glad they will be using it.
And with a professional fencer on the writing side, the training scenes with the Maestro should be epic.

Also thank goodness they are NOT going the campy self parody Lone Ranger rout.

 

[rogue trooper]

So glad to hear they're doing this, and scrapping that post-apocalyptic take!

Now just cast Rodrigo Santoro in the titular role, Paz Vega or Ana De La Reguera as Lolita Pulido, and presto!

 

[Lord]

Mask of Zorro was pretty good, they'll need to follow it's example of just making a good one-shot fun swashbuckling movie, instead of trying to hype sequels.

While the character is very known, i honestly don't think most people know much about him.

 

[Breogan]

Mask of Zorro was pretty good, they'll need to follow it's example of just making a good one-shot fun swashbuckling movie, instead of trying to hype sequels.

While the character is very known, i honestly don't think most people know much about him.

The Allende novel is pretty much the year one or origin (which has never been on film). It actually ends with him becoming the full formed Zorro.
It's a closed full circle type story, but almost naturally sets up for sequels.

So glad to hear they're doing this, and scrapping that post-apocalyptic take!

Now just cast Rodrigo Santoro in the titular role, Paz Vega or Ana De La Reguera as Lolita Pulido, and presto!

Not sure if Fox is scrapping their post-apocalyptic take, just that Sonny/Columbia is moving ahead faster with theirs.
Although after the the Lone Ranger fiasco, they might both be having second thoughts.
Santoro would make a pretty great Zorro.

Paz Vega or Ana De La Reguera as Lolita Pulido, and presto!

You could cast both.
The novel has both Lolita Pulido & Juliana De Romeu

What about Santiago Cabrera? Chilean (like Isabel Allende)
Plus he just got all the sword training from Musketeers! Maybe to European?

My choice is still Edgar Ramirez, ...
[YT]4CkGqclYbeo[/YT]

 

[Breogan]

Swiped from the Zorro TV thread...

Just read that the Columbia reboot is going to be "dark, gritty and realistic". Not sure if I like that... It could be very good, but I think Zorro movies should be fun, like the Banderas stuff. I'm afraid that they'll try to make Zorro into a Batman-clone.

But I'll just have to wait and see!t:

I think that was just a meaningless buzz word for a somewhat more serious take on it to distance themselves from the recent campy to self parody Lone Ranger.
But I agree Zorro should be swashbuckling fun adventure, with a somewhat dark undertone underneath though. But not grim.
He's the definition of the devil-may-care masked hero, but there is some darkness in his back-story, and this is the first time his origin will be told. He is a product of two worlds, whose encounter was to put it mildly, an extreme culture clash. He is the legacy of that.

As far as Batman clone, Batman was cloned from Zorro

 

[Fallen Angel]

'Zorro' to Get Post-Apocalyptic Reboot Film http://thr.cm/X2oz2W

Zorro Reborn has been reborn.

The film project about a futuristic Zorro has found new life with a partnership between Lantica Media and Sobini Films.

Lantica, the media company led by CEO Antonio Gennari that works in production, financing and distribution as well as studio space, will finance the movie with a plan to begin principal photography March 2016 in Pinewood Dominican Republic Studios. Veteran producer and Sobini CEO Mark Amin, whose credits include Good Kill and Frida, will produce the film.
Pantelion Films will handle international sales with sales launching at the Toronto Film Festival.
Zorro Reborn is a post-apocalyptic take on the myth of Zorro, the pulp hero created in 1919. The traditional stories cast Zorro as a hero of peasants and farmers who fought against corrupt and brutal officials of Spanish-held California.
Reborn is set in the near future but keeps the idea of a masked and caped stranger taking on tyrants.
The project had been previously set up at 20th Century Fox with names such as Bryan Singer, Ricardo de Montreuil, Garry Whitta and Justin Marks involved with it over the years.

A search is underway for a filmmaker to tackle the project.This has been a fifteen year journey filled with ups and downs but it has remained my passion project over the years,” said Amin.
“Every generation has its own Zorro hero and we’re proud to be able to introduce a new Zorro to this generation,” said Gennari.
Albert Martinez Martin is overseeing production for Lantica Pictures. Cami Winikoff and David W. Higgins will executive produce on behalf of Sobini.

 

[Schlosser85]

Zorro Reborn is a post-apocalyptic take on the myth of Zorro, the pulp hero created in 1919.