Bliss and Christmas Bloody Christmas director Joe Begos has found his next project, partnering with WTFilms on a “violent and brutal” new take on the classic tale of sword-wielding vigilante Zorro.
They Call Him Zorro, which Begos will write and direct, will draw on the original writings of Johnston McCulley, who first introduced Zorro in his 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano, but through a horror lens, per the film's official partners.
An official synopsis reads:
“When Diego Vega is framed by a group of dirty city officials for a crime he didn’t commit, he escapes from prison and starts a relentless no-holds barred vengeance on corruption and crime in present day Los Angeles. The media quickly finds a name for the masked vigilante riding a black El Camino armed with chains, machetes, electric saws, and a sawed-off shotgun: Zorro.”
WTFilms co-head and producer Gregory Chambet stresses that Begos' Zorro will be a “scary, brutal vigilante” who “has more to do with dark and violent characters such as The Punisher or The Crow”, so expect blood, guts and plenty of gore from the Jimmy & Stiggs helmer.
They Call Him Zorro is planned to shoot on location in Los Angeles in 35mm, with Begos explaining the reasoning as follows:
“All of my favorite action movies, from T2 to Heat were shot on location in Los Angeles, and it’s always been a dream of mine to inhabit the same cultural playground to stage some of the most high octane and explosive set pieces imaginable, and this project is the perfect opportunity to showcase the beauty of the city, the beauty of its culture, and pull off some old school practical action filmmaking bathed in the crisp golden hour glow of Hollywood […] We want to bring back the feel and visual texture of action references such as To Live and Die in L.A., RoboCop, or Hard Boiled.
Per Deadline, casting is currently underway, with WTFilms stressing that, as Zorro is a Mexican character, “we want to create a badass icon that makes the Latino community excited and proud.” Past Zorros have been played by a number of storied actors, including Douglas Fairbanks in the classic silent swashbuckler era, Alain Delon in in the 1975 version, and perhaps most famously for modern audiences, Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro.
Stay tuned for updates on They Call Him Zorro as we get 'em.
