Over two decades since the release of The Mask of Zorro — and 16 years after its sequel The Legend of Zorro — the swashbuckler film franchise is getting a reboot. Although this time, instead of a mysterious masked swordsman, the titular character will be … a computer hacker. Directed by Alex Rivera (Sleep Dealer, The Infiltrators) and produced by Sobini Films, Zorro 2.0 is set to begin production in 2022.
The story will follow Oscar de la Vega, a young, undocumented hacker who operates online as “z0rr0.” Oscar discovers a high-tech conspiracy that threatens both his family and the entire world, and it’s up to him to (virtually) fight back. Zorro 2.0 will bring themes from the original films into the present day, with an element of social commentary that highlights the U.S. border conflict at large.
“I’ve always been interested in films that address real-world issues through genre. This project is an opportunity to connect Zorro—the original masked avenger—to today’s border wars, a conflict in which immigrant families are pitted against regimes of hi-tech surveillance and government control,” said Rivera in a statement. “Zorro 2.0 will be visually elevated, socially grounded, sci-fi cinema, and I’m thrilled to be working with Sobini to get this vision on the screen.”
The original 1998 film The Mask of Zorro starred Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and was a critical and commercial success. Its 2005 follow-up, The Legend of Zorro, performed moderately well at the box office, but didn’t fare as well as its predecessor. Rivera now hopes to revitalize the Zorro franchise with a completely spin on the material.
“Alex’s vision grounds Zorro in today’s real-world issues while delivering on the fun of a superhero action movie and the humor and charm of the classic Zorro movies,” said Sobini Films producer Mark Amin. “He is the perfect filmmaker to update Zorro for today’s audience.”
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