Back in February, we reported on Richard Dominguez’s comic book creation El Gato Negro, a superhero for a Latino audience that was carefully designed to be accessible for all, getting picked up for a TV series. MGM Television cast Diego Boneta (ROCK OF AGES) to star in a series, which will be executive produced by Dominguez through his company Three Amigos. Joel Novoa (ARROW) serves as co-executive producer. Now there’s some new and even more exciting news, as The Hollywood Reporter is reporting fan-favorite writer/director Robert Rodriguez is coming aboard with Boneta to direct and executive produce the series for Apple TV+ …this hot off the heels of Rodriguez helming the critically-praised ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL earlier this year.
Boneta has been developing the project for some time, meeting with scribes to no avail. But the project gained traction this summer when he was pitched a take by Supergirl writer Eric Carrasco during San Diego Comic-Con at Nobu.
With its Texas setting, Latin cultural sensibilities and comic book theatrics, El Gato Negro seems tailor-made for the filmmaker.
The project already extends MGM and Mark Burnett’s long-running relationship with Boneta, with whom they worked with on Netflix and Telemundo’s Spanish-language series Luis Miguel. Now it extends its partnership with Rodriguez, with whom it made Lucha Underground.
The comic book series was first released in 1993 through Richard’s Azteca Productions and was a hit with fans. The initial run of 5000 copies sold out in two months. Which for an independently produced comic at the time was impressive. This is a big deal in the world of comics, as independent books are often overlooked or not considered for mainstream media productions, and it’s a huge thing for the Latino audiences to have a superhero television series with a strong Latino leading man. I will once again congratulate Richard on this incredible news, and well-deserved attention it’s been getting online. Stay tuned for more news on EL GATO NEGRO: NOCTURNAL WARRIOR.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
