Genre: Action/Adventure/Western.
Studio:
Sony Pictures.
Production Company:
Amblin Entertainment/TriStar Pictures.
Project Phase: In the Can.
Who's In It: Antonio Banderas (Alejandro Murietta/Zorro); Anthony Hopkins (Don Diego de la Vega/former Zorro); Stuart Wilson (Raphael Montero); Catherine Zeta Jones (Elena de la Vega); L.Q. Jones (Three Finger Jack); Tony Amendola (Don Luiz); Mathew Letsher (Captain Love); Jose Perez (Corporal Lopez).
Who's Making It: Martin Campbell (Director); Terry Rossio, Ted Elliot, John Eskow (Screenwriters); David Foster, Doug Claybourne (Producers); Steven Spielberg, Walter Parkes, Laurie Macdonald (Executive Producers); Phil Meheux (Director of Photography); Cecilia Montiel (Production Designer); Graciela Mazon (Costumes); Columbia Moya (Chorographer); James Horner (Musical Score).
Premise: Twenty years after he fought a one-man war against corruption and oppression in his Mexico, Don Diego de la Vega vows to stop the tyrant Raphael Montero before he can set about his plan to gain control of the California territories. de la Vega finds his solution in the form of drifter Alejandro Murietta, whom he teaches the secrets of his persona, the legendary warrior Zorro. With the mantle now passed to a younger protector, the new Zorro must find a way to stop Montero and right twenty years of wrongs.
Release Date: July 17, 1998.
Comments: The director of GoldenEye brings the Mexican masked avenger to modern audiences.
Developments:
October, 1997... The film is again pushed back, this time until Summer 1998.
June, 1997... Citing an already crowded 'event' holiday season, the film shifts its release date into March 1998.
November, 1996... Anthony Hopkins agrees to play the older Zorro. Production is set to start January 27, 1997.
Early June, 1996... Robert Rodriguez drops out of the project over disputes with the budget.
April, 1996... The production changes its working title from Zorro to Mark of Zorro.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
June 3-4 1996... Robert Rodriguez has dropped out of the Zorro project reportedly due to concerns over the film's proposed budget. Rumors have Rodriguez wanting to expand the film's $45 million budget to at least $55 million, but the producers wouldn't budge. Antonio Bandaras is still involved with the project. [Scoops reported by Christian, Diane, 'Godzilla', 'Sylvester', an anonymous source and 'jjrst32'.]
June 25, 1996... Martin Campbell may be stepping up to helm the Zorro feature now. Word is that Rodriguez didn't instill a great deal of confidence in the studio especially after demanding large increases in the budget. Campbell, fresh off his GoldenEye triumph, was said to be Spielberg's choice. [Scoop provided anonymously.]
July 22, 1996... Martin is aboard as director. [Scoops and info mailed in by Christian and 'Majestic'.]
July 27, 1996... Word reaches CA about what may be the real reason why Rodriguez walked from the Zorro project. Rodriguez left not because he wanted a bigger budget, but because he wanted to spend the available budget on the movie. Instead he was saddled with, the words of this scoop sender, "something like 6 producers and exec producers, all of them taking a hefty fee because (and ONLY because) they were 'in on the deal.'" According to Variety, the budget for Zorro was set at $35 million. Rodriguez asked for $45 mil, and TriStar only went up as far as $44. With the half-dozen or so producers involved with the deal, the budget for the actual movie - paying cast, crew, constructing sets, pre- and post-production and so on - could have sunk down to as little as $30 million. The scooper would also like to point out that this practice takes place quite a bit with making movies, and shows can have numerous 'associate', 'executive' and 'co-executive' positions, each eating up more of a film's budget. [Scoop submitted anonymously.]
October 6, 1996... Word is that Armand Assante will play the villain that Zorro must rescue the people of Los Angeles from. [Scoop provided anonymously.]
November 25, 1996... Anthony Hopkins will portray an older Zorro who passes down the mantle of the hero to Banderas. [Scoop info reported by Diane.]
December 15, 1996... Stuart Wilson is set to play Zorro's nemesis. Wilson may be best known for his work on Death and the Maiden. [Scoop filed by 'SuperDave', 'Super M', 'soneja'.]
And in a sidenote, the person training Antonio Banderas to use a sword says Banderas is the best he has ever taught, even better than another of his students - Errol Flynn. [Scoop sent in by 'SuperDave'.]
December 17, 1996... Catherine Zeta Jones, who we last saw in The Phantom, will play Elena de la Vega, a mysterious woman who becomes Zorro's love interest. [Scoop submitted by Christian.]
March 4, 1997... [Thanks to Christian for supplying the lead character names!]
March 11, 1997... [Thanks to 'Butterbaby' for additional production information and detailed plot information.]
June 10, 1997... TriStar has pushed the film back until March 1998 because of 2 reasons:
1. Paramount/Fox's mega-epic Titanic and MGM's Tomorrow Never Dies both open on the former December 19 date.
2. First quarter 1998 is weak for TriStar product so pushing the film back until March gives the company some boost into that quarter. [Handed in by Christian; also reported by 'Josh the Sandman' and Joe Hanna.]
June 29, 1997... James Horner will sound this film's score. [Sent in by James Furlong.]
October 1, 1997... A test screening was recently held for this picture and one of our readers attended it. What did they think of it? "First off, the movie ROCKS!!" they told CA. "Anthony Hopkins, believe it or not, makes a GREAT swashbuckling Zorro, especially in the opening fight sequence. The movie is a great return and homage to the original Zorro serials. Great light fun entertainment."
The scooper also gave us a detailed report about the overall plotline of the film, including who wins, lives and dies. Abiding by our self-imposed principal to not blow any film's Important Plot Devices (IPDs for short - hey, we just made it up and it sounded cool, ok?), we censored some of the material:
"Don Diego's wife is killed and his daughter stolen by Raphael Montero right on the eve of Montero being driven from California along with the rest of the Spanish. Don Diego is thrown into jail and forgotten. 20 years later, a pair of brothers, the Muriettas are running around California stealing and robbing. The older Murietta is caught by an American Cavalry officer, Captain Love and killed. The other Murietta (Banderas) swears vengeance. Don Diego escapes and meets up with Murietta, and trains him to take over the mantle of Zorro to fight Montero who has returned to CA with Don Diego's daughter, Elena. Murietta vows to kill his brother's killer, Captain Love. Elena and Murietta meet when Murietta is trying to steal a horse and she falls for the bandit. Don Diego teaches Murietta to act as a noble and he tricks his way into a party at Don Diego's hacienda..."
It's around here things really dive into the details. Encapsulated, the scooper writes about Don Diego scheme to buy California from Santa Ana with gold mined using slave labor. Don Diego and Murietta must face down not only their adversaries but also combat this new threat and right the wrongs done to the enslaved workers. Needless to say, lots of action and adventure follow, followed by some unexpected revelations. [A great summary turned in by 'Scooper'.]
October 28, 1997... The film is pushed back again for a summer 1998 opening date. [Thanks to 'cpa' for the reminder.]
March 8, 1998... On one of last week's Rosie O'Donnell shows, Bandaras said the film would debut a week earlier on the 17th of July. We'll try to confirm this ASAP. [Slashed into our Inbox by 'Dawnnn321'.]
May 18, 1998... While the trailer continues to be well received by the audience, some negative comments were fielded by this scooper who obviously doesn't like composer James Horner's score...
"I was nearby the scoring session for THE MASK OF ZORRO, and had a chance who hear a few minutes of Horner's music. It's WILLOW with a mandolin and Spanish percussion. Expect another titanic flop from Mr. Enya."
[Sent in by 'C's roving ears.]
May 19, 1998... Australian singing sensation Tina Arean has been telling everybody who cares to listen (including this scooper it seems) that she will be on the soundtrack to this film. [Scoop courtesy of 'Mr. Funny'.]
June 14, 1998... "Finally, a summer film that deserves the season," exclaims our scooper who caught a screening of the picture last Thursday night at Sony's press screening. The scooper's non-spoiler review continues:
"After filmgoers have suffered through the Summer That Wasn't, Sony has given us the film we want: amazing action, suspense, humor, romance, and a climax where the Good Guys vanquish the Bad Guys (without the modern-day de rigeur 'Sequel Coming' denouement). It's a great movie, it's a date movie, and it reaffirms your belief in cinema's power to transport.
"Think of this as Sony's apology. ZORRO has the two things that GODZILLA didn't: heart and humanity.
"The plot, so well detailed by your 10/1/97 reviewer, is simple and flavorful. (The wonderful thing is that ZORRO *has* a plot.) The first twenty minutes of this film houses more entertainment and story than most films three-hour films. Throught this story, the stakes are always high -- for both Zorro and his townspeople -- and things flow quickly and smoothly. Whether Hopkins or Banderas, Zorro is always shown as a man struggling with the mask. The film's subtext says that, as Zorro, you make an implicit sacrifice of self to don the mask of a hero, and that sacrifice can empty your life.
"Conversely, or because of this, Zorro is always the hero we want: assured, amused, and a little cocky (but never cliche). He's the hero, he's the best at what he does, and he knows it. The film has humor in almost every scene, but it's adult humor. Not sexual, but clever, fast, funny, and character-based.
"Hey, it's great to have characters again, instead of the one-dimensional cut-outs we've endured lately.
"And characters we have. Hopkins is graceful, in mask or out, as a man who's sacrificed much for his people and has felt life's ashes fall through his fingers. Banderas, who gently treads the evolutionary line of fool to jester, plays well with Hopkins. Again, these are men who are very good at what they do, and enjoy life. And Catherine Zeta-Jones is wonderful. She masters a role involving intelligence, confidence, humor, and sensuality. Instead of just another pretty face, she becomes Banderas' equal (in wit, swordplay, and dance -- and what a dance it is).
"When's the last time you saw an action film where people tried *outsmarting* each other? It reminds you what you've been missing.
"In short: THE MASK OF ZORRO. The first film of the summer. Hopefully not the last (THE AVENGERS, anyone?)
"PS: A special thanks to Art at DANGEROUS VISIONS, Sherman Oaks' wonderful SF bookstore, for the ZORRO passes.
"A few notes:
* Nick Gerrard, ZORRO's fightmaster(?) and Hopkins' stunt double for the rousing opening scene, is fightmaster(?) for STAR WARS ONE.
* Rumor has it that Robert Rodriguez storyboarded the fight sequences before he left the film, and Martin Campbell shot Rodriguez's storyboards.
* According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, David (THE STING, MAJOR LEAGUE) Ward heavily contributed to the screenplay's shooting
draft, and Martin Campbell (amongst others) wanted Ward to receive screen credit. Ward lost in WGA arbitration."
[Review submitted by an anonymous source.]