NEW DARNA – Star Cinema is right in casting an unknown face and name as the new Darna, Jane de Leon. People are interested in knowing her, why she of hundreds who auditioned for the Pinay superwoman role was chosen.
The role was meant for Angel Locsin and Liza Soberano, but for medical reasons they backed out…with much regrets.
Needless to say, the new “Darna,” directed by Jerrold Tarog, will be more innovative, meant for the so-called millennials.
JOURNEY – Highspeed traces the cinematic journey of Darna, created by the legendary Uncle Mars (Ravelo).
The first (and said to be the best) Darna is movie queen Rosa del Rosario, circa the early ‘50s. Her enemies in the two “Darna” films, are Valentina (Cristina Aragon) and Babaing Lawin (Elvira Reyes).
In the ‘60s the second Darna is Liza Moreno. The third is Eva Montes. And the fourth is Gina Pareño.
Then came Vilma Santos in the ‘70s, starting with a trilogy, “Lipad, Darna, Lipad,” followed by three other versions.
It took more than 10 years before Darna flew again in films topbilled by Rio Locsin, Nanette Medved, and Anjanette Abayari.
Dolphy wore the Darna costume in the spoof “Darna Kuno.” Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez are Darna in guest roles in two versions of “Captain Barbell,” which starred Herbert Bautista/Edu Manzano and Bong Revilla/Ogie Alcasid.
ON TV – Angel Locsin and Marian Rivera played Darna on GMA TV. The small screen versions are both highly successful.
Much earlier, Lorna Tolentino also played Darna in a short-lived TV soap.
Darna also conquered the stage, musical version and ballet interpretation by prima ballerina Lisa Macuja.
So there. Expectations are high for the new Darna, Jane de Leon.