Disney has been building its filmography on classic Intellectual Properties it had garnered over the last few years. Among them, they’ve been eyeing a revival of the iconic Zorro franchise. The original vigilante that inspired Bob Kane to create Batman is quite the icon since 1919. Disney has now set their eyes on reviving the character in a new series and they found the actor to play the character, Wilmer Valderrama.
The series is in development by Disney TV, which will be a period piece during Pueblo de Los Angeles, which would eventually become the modern-day L.A. It’ll even adapt a contemporary telenovela style, which will certainly make the series stand out. Valderrama shared his excitement for the new project:
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. To partner with Gary [Marsh, executive producer] and Disney to bring Zorro back into the family after 60 years and be a part of the legacy for other children to know they too can be the heroes of their own stories is a dream come true
Wilmer Valderrama
There have been countless adaptations of the masked vigilante, and he’s no stranger to television adaptations. Disney had a series featuring Guy Williams in the titular role that ran for 78 episodes and for over two years. There were even some specials for The Magical World of Disney in the 1960s. It’ll be interesting to see if this new adaptation of Zorro will also include references to the past.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
