Joshua Garcia, Zaijian Jaranilla to star in new Darna TV series
Joshua Garcia and Zaijian Jaranilla join the cast of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series.” Image: Instagram/@abscbnpr
Joshua Garcia and Zaijan Jaranilla are set to appear as main cast members of the upcoming “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series,” joining Jane de Leon as the titular superhero.
ABS-CBN announced the actors who will be appearing in the new TV adaptation of the beloved comic book masterpiece through a cast reveal event shown on its official YouTube channel and Twitter page yesterday, Oct. 5.
Garcia will be playing police officer Brian Samonte Robles, the love interest for de Leon’s Narda, while Jaranilla was cast to play the role of Narda’s younger brother and sidekick Ding.
Other cast members of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series” are Kiko Estrada, Richard Quan, Simon Ibarra, Levi Ignacio, Joj Agpangan, Mark Manicad, Young JV, LA Santos, Yogo Singh, Zeppi Borromeo, Marvin Yap, Tart Carlos, Gerald Acao and Rio Locsin, who once played Darna in the 1979 film “Bira, Darna, Bira.”
Actress Iza Calzado was earlier revealed to play the “first Darna” who will pass on her magical stone to her daughter Narda.
The actress who will play Valentina, Darna’s nemesis in the original comic book series, is yet to be introduced.
“Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series” is set to begin taping in early November. A target premiere date is yet to be announced.
The show will be helmed by acclaimed director Chito S. Roño and Avel Sunpongco of “Ang Probinsyano.”
Erik Matti, and Jerrold Tarog later, were supposed to direct, when the project was initially planned to be a film. Matti exited the “Darna” film due to “creative differences” while Tarog left because of scheduling conflicts.
De Leon was the third actress tapped to play Darna for this version. Angel Locsin, who played the superhero on TV via GMA in 2005, was supposed to take on the role in 2014 for the film, but she exited in 2015 due to health reasons. She was then replaced by Liza Soberano who backed out of the role due to a finger injury. JB
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