Quentin Tarantino’s Comic Book Gets Movie Adaptation With Oscar Winning Writer

Quentin Tarantino, along with Matt Wagner, had co-written a comic book that will be adapted into a movie. Oscar-winning writer Brian Helgeland has been roped in to write the crossover film about the most iconic Western fictional characters. The movie will likely be a collaboration with Django from Django Unchained and Zorro from The Mask of Zorro. The project is in development, and no official dates have been revealed as of yet.

The project comes as a sequel to the characters of Jamie Foxx‘s Django and Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas‘ Zorro. This is quite surprising, coming from Tarantino, who won’t be behind the directing chair but has given his blessing for this sequel, while always maintaining his stance against sequels. Here are all the details you need to know:

What is Quentin Tarantino’s Comic Book All About?

Published in 2014 and 2015, Tarantino and Wagner both wrote a 7-issue comic book series called Django/Zorro. The comic was published by Dynamite Entertainment and was an official sequel to Django Unchained, the bounty hunter, who joins hands with legendary swordsman, Alejandro de la Vega, aka Zorro.

The original movie adaptation, Django/Zorro, was going into development. However, in 2022, it was canceled due to its ambitious nature and production challenges. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael was asked to write a script for the film, but that was shelved. Carmichael revealed that it is a $500 million movie and recognized the “impossibility” of the adaptation at the time.

Who are Django and Zorro in Quentin Tarantino’s Movie Adaptation?

Django is the main hero of Tarantino’s 2012 movie, Django Unchained, one of the best Tarantino movies ranked by Letterboxd, while Zorro is a vigilante known as Don Diego de la Vega in the movies The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro. Django was an escaped slave who became a bounty hunter with the help of Dr. King Schultz. The character was played by Foxx, who aimed only to save his wife from a plantation owner.

Meanwhile, Mask of Zorro (1998) sees Hopkins pass on the mantle of the character to Banderas, aiming to take revenge and save California from the governor’s hands. Additionally, its 2005 sequel, Zorro, has to continue defending California while managing his vigilante responsibilities alongside his family life.

Although there has been no official confirmation of whether Foxx and Banderas will reprise their roles in the adaptation, Banderas revealed that Tarantino approached him about the sequel. The actor shared that he met the director during an Oscars night in 2020 and said (via Variety),

He just came up to me and I was like, ‘In your hands? Yeah, man!’ Because Quentin just has that nature to do those type of movies and give them quality. Even if they are based on those types of B-movies of the ’60s and ’70s, he can take that material and do something really interesting.

It remains to be seen whether the actors from iconic movies will return to play their characters one more time.

When Will The Movie Adaptation Release?

There has been no official confirmation about the release as the project is in early development at Sony Pictures. However, what is interesting is that no director has been roped in for the project.

This is intriguing, as Tarantino himself refuses to take over as director for this project. But with almost everything else confirmed, including Tarantino’s blessing, it remains to be seen who can take on the challenge of this tonally specific project. The director will play an important role, as they must take up the world Tarantino has built and do it justice.

Why Quentin Tarantino Pushed For This Sequel?

Tarantino received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Django Unchained. He is famously opposed to making sequels to his own projects; however, this was one he has been talking about for years: Django meets Zorro.

Carmichael was asked to draft the script, and he had even said (via Variety),

It’s actually an incredible, incredible script that came in from that Django/Zorro that I would love for Sony to figure out, but I realize the impossibility of it.

Despite being against sequels to his own work, he has given his blessing to this project. Tarantino was clearly inspired, as he co-wrote the comic book series as well.

The director hasn’t directed a feature since his hit, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It will be exciting for fans of the characters to see Tarantino’s world come to life with the adaptation. Tarantino’s filmography has always taken inspiration from unexpected places.

Are you excited for this world with Django and Zorro? Comment below and let us know whether you will watch this sequel.