The Mask of Zorro

Not to be confused with The Mark of Zorro.
This article is about the film. For the video game based upon the film, see The Mask of Zorro (video game).

The Mask of Zorro
A dimly-lit figure sporting a rapier, a black costume with a flowing Spanish cape, a flat-brimmed black gaucho hat, and a black cowl sackcloth mask that covers the top of the head from eye level stands with the film's title: THE MASK OF ZORRO in white font. He is silhouetted against a red hue fading to black at the top with the star billing of ANTONIO BANDERAS and ANTHONY HOPKINS.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMartin Campbell
Screenplay byJohn Eskow
Ted Elliott
Terry Rossio
Story byTed Elliott
Terry Rossio
Randall Jahnson
Based onZorro
by Johnston McCulley
Produced byDoug Claybourne
David Foster
Starring
CinematographyPhil Méheux
Edited byThom Noble
Music byJames Horner
Production
companies
Distributed byTriStar Pictures[1][2]
Release date
  • July 17, 1998 (1998-07-17)
Running time
137 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$95 million
Box office$250.3 million

The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 American Western swashbuckler film based on the fictional character Zorro by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson. The film features the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega (Hopkins), escaping from prison to find his long-lost daughter (Zeta-Jones) and avenge the death of his wife at the hands of the corrupt governor Rafael Montero (Wilson). He is aided by his successor (Banderas), who is pursuing his own vendetta against the governor's right-hand man while falling in love with de la Vega's daughter.

Executive producer Steven Spielberg had initially developed the film for TriStar Pictures with directors Mikael Salomon and Robert Rodriguez, before Campbell signed on in 1996. Salomon cast Sean Connery as Don Diego de la Vega, while Rodriguez brought Banderas in the lead role. Connery dropped out and was replaced with Hopkins, and The Mask of Zorro began filming in January 1997 at Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City, Mexico.

The film was released in the United States on July 17, 1998 to critical and commercial success, grossing $250 million on a $95 million budget. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

The Legend of Zorro, a sequel also starring Banderas and Zeta-Jones and directed by Campbell, was released in 2005, but did not fare as well as its predecessor.[3]

  1. ^ "AFI Catalog - The Mask of Zorro". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  2. ^ Maslin, Janet (July 17, 1998). "'The Mask of Zorro': The Cunning Fox Is Back". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference EbertLegend was invoked but never defined (see the help page).