The race is on between Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, who are competing to produce two big-budget movies both set around the Bible. While the Warner Bros. project, “Gods and Kings,” remains without a director (the film just lost legendary director Steven Spielberg, though “Life of Pi” director Ang Lee may take over), however, Fox’s “Exodus,” directed by Ridley Scott, is already in its casting phase.
Deadline is reporting that “Batman” trilogy actor Christian Bale has been tapped to play the film’s lead, Moses. Talks between Bale and producers are still in early stages, however. Steve Zaillian, the screenwriter for Scott’s “American Gangster,” will rewrite the script originally penned by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage.
Deadline speculates as to why the production studios are suddenly so focused on the story of the Bible:
“Fox and Paramount have surely noticed the ratings on History Channel’s ‘The Bible’ miniseries. There is certainly a global audience for a retelling of the Moses story with the technological advancements made since Charlton Heston played him in the 1956 ’Ten Commandments,’ a film that was one of the biggest blockbusters of its time.”(Um. Don't forget the animated film staring Val Kilmer, Ralph Finnes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Stewart, Helen Miren, Ofra Haza, Danny Glover, Steve Martin, and Martin Short....)
And, though thematically related, the two films will have very different treatments. From the Guardian:
“Spielberg’s Moses film was previously described as an epic biopic of the Israelite leader in a gritty Braveheart-meets-Saving-Private-Ryan style. Scott, meanwhile, was expected to plump for a detailed reworking which would focus on the minutiae of his subject’s life, such as the leader’s relationship with Pharaoh Rameses II, as well as more famous episodes.”
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Moses has been done to death but if Christ Bale is on board I have no choice but to go see it. ABC News was talking about the recent interest in biblical films. You got this, the Bible miniseries, Russell Crowe as Noah, etc. I want one on Queen Esther tbh. Apparently Brad Pitt is tapped to play Pontius Pilate in a movie about the aforementioned general's life.
