Credit: Zorro
Tom Holland as Zorro? That has a mistake written all over it. The only reason that is being talked about is due to Antonio Banderas bringing up the actor’s name in an interview with ComicBook.com, where he was asked about a possible successor to his version of Zorro, “I did Uncharted with him, and he’s so energetic and fun, and he’s got this spark, too. Why not?”
Unfortunately, I have to be Mr. Negative and explain why it’s a bad idea for Tom Holland to become the next Zorro. This has nothing to do with Spider-Man himself, as Holland is a fun and energetic presence and a good performer. In truth, his performance in Captain America: Civil War stood out so much that I was excited to see him in his solo ventures. Instead, the issue comes down to culture and that Holland is not a Mexican man. It wouldn’t be the first time that fictional characters swapped races. Michael B. Jordan was Human Torch. Halle Bailey will be Ariel in The Little Mermaid; I’m not saying that these choices were right, but it’s not foreign to either television or films. The critical thing here is that Zorro’s character is boosted because heritage is essential to who he iin a hero.
Credit: Uncharted
Zorro was created in 1919 by Johnston McCulley. His character was based on Mexican folktales of a noble bandit who fought on behalf of the peasantry and indigenous peoples. Though he’s mostly a masked vigilante, his true identity is Don Diego Vega (later changed to Don Diego de la Vega), and the first signs of publication started with the pulp magazine All-Story. If executives decide to reboot the Legend of Zorro series, the last name they should put in the lead role is Tom Holland. It’s a tempting feat, as Holland is a star. Uncharted was a box-office success despite a lukewarm reception, collecting over $400 million worldwide. His trilogy of Spider-Man films has banked the most money between him, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey McGuire. Holland is a recognizable name that would surely bring heat to the film. However, it will ultimately betray Zorro’s character and legacy if he goes outside the heritage that the Mexicans made famous from there original folklore.
Antonio Banderas’s reasoning is admirable, but putting Holland as Zorro is simply a mistake. However, the Oscar nominee stated that he would return to the live-action adaptations if asked, “Yes, I would. I would consider that possibility. Why not?” Banderas said. He added: “I think during today’s interviews I said something like that to somebody… I said that if they call it Zorro, I will do what Anthony Hopkins did in the first movie and give the torch to somebody else.” In terms of films, there hasn’t been much talk about a feature reboot; however, a series was initially picked up for the CW network, according to Deadline. This time, it would’ve been a reimagining as a young woman is taking over the role of Zorro. Robert Rodriquez, Rebecca Rodriguez, and Sean Tretta were tapped to pen the upcoming series. There’s been a drastic change in the CW network, though the series hasn’t been canceled.
Credit: The Legend of Zorro
However, that isn’t the only reboot that’s been confirmed. Variety revealed in May that an Amazon series with Elite star Miguel Bernardeau was moving forward. This version was directed by Javier Quintas, whose previous credits include Money Heist and Sky Rojo. Miguel Angel Vivas will also direct; he’s known for Locked Up and Unauthorized Living. The show is scheduled to be written by Carlos Portela, and the ten-episode series is being executive produced for Secuoya Studios by David Martinez, David Cotarelo, and Angela Agudo. However, there’s one more in the works.
Wilmer Valderrama will star in a Disney live-action Zorro series. The actor revealed the news on on May 9, “I’ll tell you this: This will be a Zorro for this generation. And it’ll be incredibly thoughtful with its origin story and be grounded in authenticity.” Of course, there’s no set date for any of these, but Zorro is coming back in a big way.Anthony Hopkins
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