Are we going through a new sword and sandals period? We are soon to be gifted with Darren Aronofsky’s take on the Noah story, Ridley Scott is in talks to do Exodus at Fox, Paul W.S. Anderson is taking on Pompeii, and for a long while Steven Spielberg was attached to Moses film Gods And Kings. Now we learn that Spielberg is dropping out of the picture in favor of Robopocalypse, because big robots are much more interesting than the Old Testament. What’s more, this year’s Oscar winner Ang Lee has expressed some serious interest in the project.
Gods And Kings will follow baby Moses to full-grown, tablet-carrying Moses to aged Moses, with all the fun times in between. This can only mean that it will incredibly long, because there’s a lot that happens in that man’s lifetime. The film is being scripted by Michael Green and Stuart Hazeldine as a ‘real warrior story.’ Really? What in the hell does that mean, may I ask? Is Moses going to kick some Biblical butt?
Do we need another Moses movie? We have Prince of Egypt – with music! – and The Ten Commandments – with Heston! – and probably a few more that I’ve forgotten about. But if we MUST have a Moses movie, Ang Lee would be an interesting choice to direct. I’d certainly be more interested in his take on the epic story than Spielberg’s, whose work tends to be a bit more portentous.
‘Tis early days yet on Gods And Kings, though. Lee has only expressed interest. He was also toying with the idea of Cleopatra not too long ago as well. Now that’s another story that really must be brought to the screen for the billionth time.
With the Exodus film moving towards production at Fox, Warner Brothers hopes to get Gods And Kings up and running fairly soon. We’ll have to wait and see if Ang Lee will be at the helm for it.
What do you think of a Moses story directed by Ang Lee? Can we handle the epicness? Let us know in the comments.