Gael Garcia Bernal is prepping for a screen test that will determine whether or not he'll star in 20th Century Fox's new action-adventure epic Zorro Reborn. Yet this test may also serve as an audition for the film's possible helmer Ricardo de Montreuil. Variety reveals the Peruvian filmmaker, who first earned Hollywood's notice in 2010 with his stunning sci-fi short The Raven, will direct Bernal in the screen test. Zorro Reborn's producers haven't yet signed someone to helm, so while there is no deal in place at present, this test could mean they are considering de Montreuil.
For Zorro Reborn, Fox is looking to create a extreme reinvention of the iconic character, positing him into a futuristic setting where his vigilante efforts will battle against a more technologically advanced villain than a previous Zorros. Fracture scribe Glen Gers created the project's early drafts, while Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevy, the writing team behind the in-development Dracula reimagining Harker, have been brought on for the latest revisions. So clearly, Fox is looking for a cool and gritty makeover of masked hero. Would de Montreuil be a good fit for Zorro Reborn? Check out his slick superhero short below, and tell us what you think in comments:
Even if de Montreuil doesn't get Zorro Reborn, he may still have a shot a Hollywood since Universal has snatched the rights to develop The Raven into a feature-length action flick. Mark Wahlberg has been brought on board to produce the script penned by Justin Marks ( Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) and Steve Levinson (Entourage). Now, de Montreuil was hired to helm Universal's Untitled Low Ride Project in 2010, but no news has arisen on the project since then. Perhaps he may be given a shot to direct The Raven's second coming.
