Steven Spielberg in Talks to Direct Biblical Epic GODS AND KINGS

[Lencho01]

http://collider.com/steven-spielberg-gods-and-kings/126600/

Steven Spielberg in Talks to Direct Biblical Epic GODS AND KINGS

by Matt Goldberg Posted:November 15th, 2011 at 11:10 am

In September, we learned that Warner Bros. and producers Dan Lin and Matti Leshem were aiming to get Steven Spielberg to direct the biblical epic about the life of Moses, Gods and Kings. According to Twitch, this lofty aspiration has surprisingly led to formal talks with the legendary director. I can understand the appeal for Spielberg who likes going big with his movies, and Gods and Kings would present him with the challenge of measuring up to Cecil B. Demille’s 220-minute Moses epic, The Ten Commandments. While most studios today would never allow an almost four-hour movie into theaters, I’d be interested to see if Spielberg could get away with it (assuming he wanted to make a four-hour movie).
Michael Green and Stuart Hazeldine‘s script covers “the life of Moses from birth to death.” Hit the jump for a great recap of the major episodes in Moses’ life. Spielberg’s next two films, The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse, are due out next month, and he’s prepping to go into production on his Abraham Lincoln biopic, Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.


Here’s the great recap of Moses’ life that Brendan wrote back in September:

• Moses is born in Egypt at a time when all newborn Israelite boys are to be killed. His mother sends him down the Nile to save his life.
• One of Pharaoh’s daughters finds baby Moses, and raises her as his own.
• When he is grown, Moses kills an Egyptian who is beating a Hebrew slave. He flees Egypt.
• God appears to Moses in the form of a burning bush, and instructs Moses to deliver the Israelites out of slavery.
• With Moses as his mouthpiece, God unleashes ten plagues on Egypt. Among them: frogs, hail, locusts, and death to the firstborn of every household that neglected to smear lamb’s blood across their door frame.
• Pharaoh finally lets the Israelites go. They sing “When You Believe.”
• Moses parts the Red Sea on the way out of Egypt—just long enough to allow millions of Israelites to pass through and zero Egyptians.
• The Israelites set off to wander the desert for forty years.
• God drops bread from the sky, and enables Moses to produce water from rocks.
• Moses meets God on a mountain, where god gifts him the Ten Commandments, inscribed on two tablets by God’s finger.
• While he’s up there, the Israelites start worshipping a golden calf. Moses is livid when he sees this, breaks the tablets, and orders the death of 3,000 of the disobedient. He goes back up the mountain to get more tablets.
• More wandering.
• In the end, God lets Moses see the Promised Land. But Moses dies before he can enter because of that time he hit the rock when he was supposed to speak to it.

 

[Duke]

I actually wouldn't mind watching a Biblical epic picture, however I would want to see something different that's not been covered before. Perhaps something along the lines of Samson, Job, Jonas, or some other prominant Biblical figure.

 

[Lencho01]

I'd like to see other stories too. But people seem to enjoy the more popular stories enough that they're told more frequently.

 

[Doctor Jones]

My ticket is already naturally bought.

 

[Secret Fawful]

Yes! PLEASE!

 

[kvz5]

http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/steven-spielberg-moses-movie-gods-and-kings-warner-bros/

Steven Spielberg Near Commitment To Direct Moses Epic For Warner Bros


EXCLUSIVE: Steven Spielberg is near to etching in stone with Warner Bros on that biopic portraying the Jewish leader as the warrior to beat all warriors. With a working title of Gods And Kings, what’s envisioned is “a movie like a Braveheart-ish version of the Moses story,” an insider tells me. “Him coming down the river, being adopted, leaving his home, forming an army, and getting the Ten Commandments.” And despite the awesome screen possibilities of the parting of the Red Sea, the movie isn’t being contemplated in 3D. Back in 1956, Paramount release The Ten Commandments in VistaVision to give moviegoers a more spectacular experience of scenes like that. But this film is as far from a remake of the Cecile B. DeMille-directed epic as you can get even though they cover similar ground. Instead Warner Bros wants Speilberg to direct it with the gritty reality of Saving Private Ryan, which is considered a masterpiece redefining battle movies. ”There have been glossy versions of the Moses story but this would be a real warrior story,” an insider tells me.

The studio has wanted Spielberg on the project since last September when he first read the script. (See previous, Warner Bros Goes To The Mountaintop For Moses Epic.) Getting Spielberg seemed a long shot because his deals are always complex and his dance card is always full. Talks intensified, and now insiders tell me the dialogue should consummate by the end of the month. Warner Bros wants to start production sometime in March or April of 2013.

Producer Matti Lesham came to the studio with a treatment that was bought for development. The film is being produced by Dan Lin and Lesham. The two writers are Stuart Hazeldine (the upcoming epic Paradise Lost for Legendary/Warner Bros and inspired by the John Milton poem) and Michael Green (co-writer of Warner Bros’ Green Lantern and the upcoming ABC midseason series The River for Spielberg”. It’s the first time they’ve scripted together.

Spielberg just finished directing Lincoln and is already working on Robopocalypse: both are DreamWorks pics co-financed by Twentieth Century Fox. Spielberg wants a big film next and this is it: Ten Commandments was one of the most profitable films of its era, grossing $65 million in 1956 — which in today’s dollars is equivalent to close to $1 Billion theatrical. Spielberg helmed another seminal Jewish movie, Schindler’s List which won seven Oscars at the 66th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He was just overlooked for a Best Director nomination on Tuesday for War Horse even though it received a Best Picture nod.

Meanwhile this marks the second high-profile film Warner Bros is developing on a seminal Jewish hero. Mel Gibson and Joe Eszterhas are collaborating on their pitch to tell the story of Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee, who teamed with his father and four brothers to lead the Jewish revolt against the Greek-Syrian armies that had conquered Judea in the 2nd century B.C. Gibson has the first option to direct, and he will produce the film through his Icon Productions banner.

 

[Lighthouse]

I only have two questions.

Will it include the Ark of the Covenant?
If so, what's it going to look like?

 

[Figs]

As much as I love The Ten Commandments with Heston, this is Speilberg we're talking about here.

 

[Kurosawa]

Mel Brooks Moses > all others.

 

[Figs]

Mel Brooks Moses > all others.

 

[Ajendo]

Wait, Gibson is doing a film about Judah?? I'd love to see that but I'm doubtful Mel will get the backing.

 

[Bim]

Oh this could be interesting. Consider me intrigued by this one

 

[Whiskey Tango]

I will watch the hell out of this.

http://screenrant.com/steven-spielberg-gods-kings-moses-sandy-148384/

 

[kvz5]

Spielberg says no. WB now courting Ang Lee:

http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/tom...r-and-steven-spielberg-eye-intriguing-movies/

 

[Hurm...]

Ugh, I wanted Spielberg to do this

 

[Whiskey Tango]

yeah.

 

[Gianakin_]

Spielberg saying no left and right. Bring on Indy 5.

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

Spielberg is not a fool and did the right thing. You can't beat C.B.D 10th Commandments.
Ang Lee will make it the most efficient soporific tell ever told

 

[jacobed]

They already did beat it years ago with Prince of Egypt which was way better

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

They already did beat it years ago with Prince of Egypt which was way better

The Disney Dreamworks animated film ? No offense but : LOL
The Disney Dreamworks version is fine but you can't really compare it with The 10th Cmds. Yul Brynner alone is enough to make the movie better.

Anyway, to each his own.

Correction made, thanks.

 

[Octoberist]

it wasn't Disney; It was Dreamworks.

 

[sueb1863]

Agree that we've already seen the Moses story several times already. Heck, it was even a stage musical! And nobody is ever going to beat the DeMille version for epic scope so don't even try.

Find a Biblical story that hasn't been done yet in a definitive way.

 

[dark_b]

i would watch an Ang Lee version.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Ralph Fiennes was great in The Prince of Egypt.



Ang Lee bringing his Life of Pi game would be amazing.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Definitely miss the Hollywood biblical epics. I'm not sure if the lack of them over the years is from basic cyclical movie interests, or if Hollywood has become uncomfortable with bible stories. Seems like they're making a come back in either case (this, plus the Noah movie).