The classic adventure hero, Zorro (Spanish for "fox") returns in a tale set during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Two decades have passed since Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) fought oppression as the legendary Zorro. Now he seeks a successor to stop corrupt official Raphael Montero, the man who robbed him of all he loved, leaving him in a Mexican prison. When drifter Alejandro Murietta (Antonio Banderas) turns up, Don Diego grooms him as the new Zorro. The fearless romantic hero is reborn with mask, sword, whip, and his black stallion Tornado. Lashing out at Montero's scheme to buy California, Zorro plans to bring justice for those enslaved by Montero's greed. The character of Zorro was created by Johnston McCulley right after World War I. The five-part pulp novel The Curse of Capristrano began August 9, 1919 in All Star Weekly. Interest in this novel led Douglas Fairbanks to acquire the rights and go immediately into the film The Mark of Zorro, adapted from The Curse of Capistrano. However, it was Fairbanks who contributed the "Z" trademark and other Zorro bits. McCulley saw the value of Fairbanks' additions, and he incorporated these into his next Zorro story (1922) for Argosy All-Story. Fairbanks followed with the film sequel, Don Q., in 1925. McCulley's original novel was later retitled to match the movie (and reprinted as an early Dell paperback). Guy Williams played the title role in the 1957-59 Zorro TV series, while the 1983 CBS television series Zorro and Son starred Henry Darrow and Paul Regina. Frank Langella portrayed Zorro in the TV movie The Mark of Zorro (1974).