The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress and Lucifer star has been brought in to co-pen the upcoming untitled 47 Roninsequel alongside New York Timesbestselling author AJ Mendez for Universal 1440 Entertainment.
The action-fantasy film, which is being directed by Mulan‘s Ron Yuan, is the follow up to the 2013 Universal Keanu Reeves movie which grossed over $151M WW.
The original film was directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini from a story conceived by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Also starring in that film were Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi and Ko Shibasaki.
Based on Chūshingura, 47 Ronin tells a fictionalized account of the titular 47 rōnin, a real-life group of samurai in the 18th century who set out to avenge the death of their master who was killed by a merciless shogun.
“AJ and I are excited to write a diverse and inclusive action film,” said Garcia. “Director Ron Yuan’s vision to blend martial arts, horror, cyber-punk and action was inspiring and we’d like to thank the team at 1440 for being so supportive.”
“As creators of color, we’re honored to be part of a modern, multicultural story with powerful female leads,” said Mendez.
Garcia currently stars on Netflix’s Lucifer, new episodes of which are dropping on May 28, and she’ll also star in Marvel’s MODOK, premiering on Hulu on May 21.
Mendez’s pilot script Homelanded on The Black List’s inaugural Latinx TV List in 2020. She’s a former championship wrestler with the WWE.
Garcia and Mendez are the co-authors of the comic book series Glow, based on the Netflix property, and Dungeons and Dragonsfor IDW Publishing, as well as Wonder Womanfor DC Comics coming out in July.
The duo recently launched Scrappy Heart Productions to create diverse stories with universal themes across all media. Currently, Scrappy Heart is adapting Crazy Is My Superpower, based on Mendez’s bestselling memoir.
During the NALIP Media Summit, members of NALIP, The Black List and The Untitled Latinx Project to announced the 10 original television pilots selected as part of the inaugural Latinx TV List, with the Latina filmmaker’s The Edge aka El Borde earning a spot.
Martinez’s pilot centers on a teenage girl US/Mexico border who must prove there’s an unnerving new life form evolving and threatening human existence after a destructive storm triggers the largest sewage spill in the history of North America.
The Black List teamed with the Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, Remezcla and The Untitled Latinx Project for the list. Here were the requirements:
Writers should be Latinos residing currently in the US – any country of origin or other status is fine
Any kind of story is eligible and will be considered
All scripts must have one Latinx character in a prominent, lead role
Scripts can be bilingual as long as they are written primarily in English
Half-hours and one-hours considered. No webseries.
All levels of experience considered for submitting writers
Scripts submitted should be as free from attachments as possible
Writers must be at least 18 years of age upon submission
The writers on the Latinx TV List will have their pilots shared with Hulu, which plans to offer a WGAminimum blind pilot script deal to two of the writers or writing teams, in addition to meeting with all 10 writers selected. Writers selected by Hulu may decide whether or not to accept any deal offered by Hulu — the final decision remains entirely in the hands of the writer.
“NALIP is thrilled to have partnered once again with the Black List for the Latinx TV List,” said Ben Lopez. “We have always aimed to be a platform for underrepresented communities and the winners now have a chance to tell their incredible stories. We also applaud Hulu in their commitment to the Latinx community. In collaboration with our partners, The Black List, Untitled Latinx Project, Latin Tracking Board, and Remezcla, we would like to sincerely congratulate this year’s Latinx TV List!”
Here are the 10 selected scripts for the Latinx TV List in alphabetical order:
CUBA LIBRE by Niko Gutierrez-Kovner CUBA LIBRE tells the story of Fidel Castro’s revolution through the eyes of a couple who become crucial to its success, risking their marriage, their livelihoods, and their lives for a movement that ultimately loses sight of the people in one man’s blind pursuit of power.
THE EDGE/EL BORDE by Paloma Martinez After a destructive storm triggers the largest sewage spill in the history of North America at the US/Mexico border, a local teenage girl must prove there is an unnerving new life form evolving and threatening human existence.
HOME by AJ Mendez A dark comedy about a young Latina who struggles to re-enter the world after surviving a suicide attempt, but uses her comatose Mormon roommate’s seemingly perfect identity to start fresh.
INSIDE CUNT by Anna Salinas A brash 28-year-old Nuyorican is pulled into a dangerous world of international espionage when her vagina suddenly starts intercepting Russian spy signals.
KOOKY, THE POST-APOCALYPTIC COCKROACH by Dax de la Monta Miggy, a perpetually upbeat and slightly naive loser, must survive a road trip across a nuclear wasteland with the help of his misfit coworker, old school abuelo, and a wisecracking chatterbox who happens to be a giant, mutated cockroach.
MACHO LIBRE by Marcelina Chavira After his fathers pass away, a mature and woke AF 11 year-old boy is forced to move in with his estranged, old school, super macho, ex-luchador grandfather above the aging man’s eccentric wrestling academy.
NOVIA by Giovanni J. Maldonado Chinea & Myles Clifford Hawthorne In 1929, a young girl escapes her abusive life in Mexico City for Los Angeles and the promise of stardom in a Spanish-language version of the Universal classic, DRACULA — only to find that the monsters of one’s past don’t simply vanish, but follow. Based on the true story of Lupita Tovar.
PAPI by Dominic Colón PAPI, is a half hour dramedy that explores the life of Kilo Rodriguez, a closeted bisexual barber from the Bronx, who on his 21st birthday, unexpectedly gets custody of his foul-mouthed six-year old daughter. As Kilo tries to navigate becoming an adult, while avoiding the temptations of the streets, and understanding his fluid sexuality, he embarks on a transformative journey discovering what it takes to be a good “Papi.”
SUNPATCH ALLEY by Juan Carlos Fernandez The times, they are a-changin’ in this dark, comedic drama set in 1970’s New York. GRACIE FUENTES, the creative director of a popular kids’ show, finds her noble pursuits of inclusion continually steamrolled by the show’s sexist and alcoholic star, LOUIE BARNETT. But when the station is taken over by the crime family Louie is indebted to, Gracie seizes the opportunity to take matters into her own hands. “Sesame’s mean streets.”
USERNAME by Barbara Soares After joining an A.I. talent agency where she impersonates a CGI Instagram celebrity, a hacker finds herself at the center of a high-stakes conspiracy when that same celebrity begins enlisting her followers to commit suicide.
e follow up to the 2013 Universal Keanu Reeves movie which grossed over $151M WW.
