From Hispanically Speaking News
CBS is reportedly developing a television series based on iconic Latino character The Cisco Kid, with Salma Hayek already attached to executive produce.
Along with Hayek will be executive producer Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men). The series, written by Diego Gutierrez of The Shield fame, will “It follows Cisco as he returns to Los Angeles after serving several tours as a Marine in Afghanistan,” according to Deadline. “After witnessing the murder of his father, Cisco and his best friend/fellow Marine, Sam, team up to solve the case and subsequently find themselves doing what the authorities can’t — defending the city’s oppressed and disenfranchised.”
The character, the Cisco Kid, was a fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story “The Caballero’s Way”. Though originally depicted as a ruthless outlaw, the Cisco Kid went on to be portrayed a Mexican caballero hero.
He has been played by many actors on the radio, stage, and movie lot, which one of the most recent being the 1994 television film The Cisco Kid, in which Jimmy Smits played the lead, Cheech Marin played sidekick Pancho, and Bruce Payne and Ron Perlman (Hell Boy) played French villains. The movie was written by Michael Kane and directed by Luis Valdez.
The developing CBS show will be written by Gutierrez who will also be executive producing, has worked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the series), Without a Trrace, and Warehouse 13.
Hayek and Jose Tamez of their Ventanarosa production company have worked on the ABC series Ugly Betty and are looking to make The Cisco Kid the latest in their attempt to bring Latino characters and themes to Hollywood both on the big and small screen.