Death Ray Films and Maya Ent. will team up to bring the acclaimed Dark Horse comic book EL ZOMBO FANTASMA to the big screen.
EL ZOMBO FANTASMA, published by Dark Horse Comics in 2005, created by David Wilkins and Kevin Munroe, will be produced under the Death Ray Films banner recently formed by Chris Patton, Kevin Munroe and Robert Sanchez, who are currently in production on WAR MONKEYS.
The story follows the mysterious murder of the world's most notorious Mexican wrestler, who bargains his way out of an eternity of fiery damnation by returning to Los Angeles to play guardian angel to a troublesome teen, Belisa Montoya. He soon discovers that the girl is not what she seems and that their fates have been intertwined for centuries.
The tale of the undead masked wrestler will be brought to multiple mediums starting with the live action feature followed by a new animated series. Munroe will write and direct with Patton and Sanchez producing. Wilkins and Munroe will co-produce. Mike Richardson will exec produce for Dark Horse.
Jose Martinez and Kellvin Chavez will produce along with Moctesuma Esparza who will exec produce for Maya Entertainment.
"Zombo started years ago as just a geeky idea between two friends who worked at the same video game company," Munroe said. "But Dave and I always knew that the property had a broader appeal than just its publishing roots, and now we'll see it finally reach an entirely new audience. I'm thrilled to be a part of creating this new breed of superhero for the big screen."
"As a Cuban-American in this industry, I see El Zombo as a unique property that will not only showcase Latinos but also appeal to all audiences. It has action, romance, redemption and wrestling; it's a Latin HELLBOY," said Sanchez. "It's the perfect date movie!"
"El Zombo is an extremely cool superhero and it's tremendous, pile-driving fun," Chavez added. "As a fan of wrestling, I used to watch 'Santo, el Enmascarado de Plata' one of the most famous Mexican free wrestlers, so I was excited by this project."
