Antonio Banderas Nominates Tom Holland As The Heir To The Mask Of Zorro, Internet Strongly Disagrees
Reboots are the bread and butter of Hollywood, which means that we millennials (and even the elder zoomers), are becoming accustomed to seeing our childhood favorites being given the reboot treatment. The IP up for debate today is Zorro and this time we have Antonio Banderas to blame.
While discussing the upcoming "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" with Comicbook.com, the topic of 1998's "The Mask of Zorro," and the possibility of Banderas returning for a sequel, came up. "If they called me to do 'Zorro,' I would do what Anthony Hopkins did for me, which is to pass the torch," shared Banderas. Asked whether there were any actors currently working who could take up the mantle of the masked vigilante, he considered for a moment and then replied, "Tom Holland. I did 'Uncharted' with him, and he's so energetic and fun. He's got this spark too. Why not?"
Of all the names to throw out there for Zorro, Holland is one I'd say was least likely. Sure, he's got the experience to pull off the stunts, having done the bulk of stunts on the "Spider-Man" films, but that's not all that is needed for Zorro. Part of the appeal of Banderas' Zorro was in the passion and sensuality he oozed onscreen, especially across from Catherine Zeta-Jones's Elena De la Vega. Unfortunately for Holland, those are descriptors that you wouldn't really associate with him (that "Umbrella" lip-sync performance notwithstanding).
The internet apparently feels the same way, with most comments outright rejecting Banderas' casting choice. However, the question of a possible Zorro reboot still remains, and it's not like the studios haven't been trying to get one going.
The many attempts at Zorro
There have been serious discussions over the past decade surrounding a variety of Zorro reboots. The character himself is in the public domain, meaning he's free game for anyone to play around with. Sony Pictures, the studio that brought us "The Mask of Zorro," had a gritty "Dark Knight"-esque reboot in the works once upon a time, but that development seems to have stalled.
20th Century Fox (pre-Disney acquisition) had a reboot in the works too, but with a sci-fi angle. Titled "Zorro Reborn," Gael García Bernal and Kiersey Clemons were slated to star in the futuristic reimagining. Unfortunately, the project is in permanent limbo since Fox was brought under the Disney umbrella, with no recent updates. García Bernal is an instant add to the fancast list, especially after "Werewolf by Night," so here's hoping we might see him as the masked vigilante one day.
In 2019, there was talk from Quentin Tarantino and Jerrod Carmichael about a Django/Zorro crossover movie, but the idea came and went with the news cycle.
The most recent reboot discussion happened last year when Sobini Films selected Alex Rivera to write and direct "Zorro 2.0." Updating the character for a modern audience, the famous sword-wielding character would be reimagined as an undocumented hacker called Oscar de la Vega, who goes up against the government and, in the process, unearths a conspiracy with worldwide ramifications.
Will we see a "Zorro" reboot come into fruition in our future? It's difficult to say, but at least discussion is alive and well — even if it's just the internet unifying against the casual suggestion of giving Tom Holland the sword.