CBS is retooling The Cisco Kid.
The network has picked up a new script for a modern-day retelling of the classic Western, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The drama hails from producers Salma Hayek and Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men) with new writers Chad Damiani and J.P. Lavin (How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack) attached to pen the new script and serve as supervising producers.
Hayek and Donner first developed the drama last year with The Shield's Diego Gutierrez attached to write the script. Hayek and her Ventanarosa president Jose "Pepe" Tamez will again produce the CBS Television Studios entry alongside Donner and the Donners' Co. president Jack Leslie.
The new take is described as the classic story of a handsome outlaw and his faithful sidekick as a sexy, multicultural, action-packed show in the vein of The Fast and the Furious meets The Equalizer. The story centers on Cisco, a dishonorably discharged Marine, as he returns to L.A. for his father’s funeral and learns that his father was actually the mythical Cisco Kid, who helped the downtrodden and disenfranchised who had been let down by the system. Cisco and his best friend, Dan, join the remaining members of his father’s team and take the mantel of the Cisco Kid, vowing to find justice for those who can’t find it anywhere else.
The Cisco Kid was first introduced in O. Henry's 1907 short story The Caballero's Way. He is one of only a handful of Latino characters to cross over into mainstream pop culture in the 20th century. The character went on to be featured in silent films, movies, TV episodes, radio shows, comics and more. Warner Baxter won an Oscar for playing Cisco in 1928's In Old Arizona. The character was featured in a syndicated series that starred Duncan Renaldo and ran from 1950-56.
Cisco Kid marks the latest TV reboot to sell this development season. NBC is also readying a sequel to 1980s soap Remington Steele and CBS has a contemporary version of 1970s anthology Love, American Style. The drama comes as CBS has found success with its remake of Hawaii Five-0, which moved to Fridays for its current fourth season.
Donner most recently produced Fox's The Wolverine and is in postproduction on X-Men: Days of Future Past. She's also prepping a big-screen adaptation of the Sylo book trilogy at Fox 2000 and Laughs Unlimited at HBO.
Hayek most recently starred in Grown-Ups 2 and just wrapped Everly. Next up is How to Make Love Like an Englishman in addition to Muppets Most Wanted. With Tamez, Hayek executive produced ABC's Ugly Betty, which ran from 2006-10.
Damiani and Lavin are repped by Felker Toczek. Hayek and Ventanarosa are repped by CAA. Donner is with Hirsch Wallerstein.
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
