Kevin Munroe (TMNT) will write and direct an adaptation of the Dark Horse comic El Zombo Fantasma for Death Ray Films and Maya Entertainment. Published in 2005, the film is being pitched as a “Latino Hellboy”. The story follows “the mysterious murder of the world’s most notorious Mexican wrestler who bargains his way out of an eternity of fiery damnation by returning to Los Angeles to play guardian angel to a troublesome teen, Belisa Montoya. He soon discovers that the teen is not what she seems and that their fates have been intertwined for centuries.” LatinoReview’s Kellvin Chavez and IESB’s Robert Santchez are among the film’s producers. It appears that Monroe will still produce Death Ray’s indie horror film War Monkeys, which he was originally attached to direct. You can read the full press release after the jump.

Death Ray and Maya Partner to Bring Dark Horse Comic El Zombo to the Big Screen

Hollywood, CA. Jan. 26 - Death Ray Films and Maya Entertainment team up to bring the acclaimed Dark Horse comic book El Zombo Fantasma to the big screen.

El Zombo Fantasma, published by Dark Horse Comics in 2005, created by David Wilkins and Kevin Munroe, will be produced under the Death Ray Films banner recently formed by Chris Patton, Kevin Munroe and Robert Sanchez who are currently in production on War Monkeys.

The story follows the mysterious murder of the world’s most notorious Mexican wrestler who bargains his way out of an eternity of fiery damnation by returning to Los Angeles to play guardian angel to a troublesome teen, Belisa Montoya. He soon discovers that the teen is not what she seems and that their fates have been intertwined for centuries.

Death Ray Films and Maya Entertainment will bring tales of the undead masked wrestler to multiple mediums starting with the live action feature followed by a new animated series.

Kevin Munroe will write and direct with Chris Patton and Robert Sanchez producing. Wilkins and Munroe will co-produce. Mike Richardson will executive produce for Dark Horse Entertainment.

Jose Martinez and Kellvin Chavez will produce along with Academy Award nominee Moctesuma Esparza who will executive produce for Maya Entertainment.

“Zombo started years ago as just a geeky idea between two friends who worked at the same video game company,” says Munroe. “But Dave and I always knew that the property had a broader appeal than just its publishing roots, and now we’ll see it finally reach an entirely new audience. I’m thrilled to be a part of creating this new breed of superhero for the big screen.”

“As a Cuban-American in this industry, I see El Zombo as a unique property that will not only showcase Latinos but also appeal to all audiences. It has action, romance, redemption and wrestling, it’s a Latin Hellboy,” says Robert Sanchez. “It’s the prefect date movie!”

“El Zombo is an extremely cool superhero and it’s tremendous, pile-driving fun,” says Kellvin Chavez. “As a fan of wrestling, I used to watch ‘Santo, el Enmascarado de Plata’ one of the most famous Mexican free wrestlers, so I was excited by this project.”

“We are excited to work with Death Ray and Dark Horse on El Zombo as it furthers our goal of bringing Latino themes and Latino talent to the commercial market,” says Jose Martinez Jr. for Maya. “We plan to blow this out in a big way so that everyone can enjoy this awesome idea.

About Death Ray Films

DEATH RAY FILMS is an entertainment production company founded by comic book & film industry veterans Chris Patton, Robert Sanchez and Kevin Munroe. The trio’s diverse backgrounds and extensive experience in all forms of media include: film, TV, Internet, comics and video games. And when combined, they form a giant robot.

About Maya Entertainment

MAYA ENTERTAINMENT, created by award winning producer Moctesuma Esparza, is a vertically integrated company and is the only production/distribution/exhibition entity in the United States, dedicated to the constantly growing US Latino Market. The Latino market represents the fastest-growing consumer segment in the U.S. and accordingly offers some of the most exciting growth opportunities for the entertainment industry today. Maya Entertainment is uniquely poised to become the first broad-based Latino-oriented filmed entertainment company.