'Avatar' director says he has talked to the studio about the project: 'It sounds hot, doesn't it? I mean, Angelina Jolie and Cleopatra?'
By Eric Ditzian
James Cameron
Photo: Getty Images
Might James Cameron be scheduling a voyage to ancient Egypt before he heads back to the alien world of Pandora? Rumors started swirling last week that the director, while continuing to develop an "Avatar" sequel, is also considering helming a 3-D take on the life of Cleopatra starring Angelina Jolie.
In a conversation with The New York Times, Cameron confirmed that he has in fact had conversations with Sony Pictures about the project.
"There's a Cleopatra project in work, meaning that it's been in development at Sony," he said. "And it's a subject that's always fascinated me. So yeah, I've been talking to them about it but no decisions have been made. But it sounds hot, doesn't it? I mean, Angelina Jolie and Cleopatra? To me, that's like a slam dunk. Whether I wind up doing it or not, I think it's going to be a great project."
According to a Deadline New York report, Sony has fast-tracked development on the Cleopatra movie after Brian Helgeland, who won an Oscar for his adaptation of "L.A. Confidential," turned in a top-notch draft of the script. The studio is also reportedly eyeing Brad Pitt to play Mark Antony, mirroring the casting of 1963's "Cleopatra," in which Elizabeth Taylor played the title character and her real-life lover Richard Burton played Antony.
The 1963 film suffered an infamously troubled production and failed to connect with audiences, even as it won four Oscars. That history, though, does not bother Cameron.
"There were a lot of people betting against us on 'Titanic' as well," he said. "That kind of stuff isn't particularly daunting to me. The idea of 10-foot-tall blue people that were 100 percent CG, it was Smurf Planet, plenty of reasons why 'Avatar' wasn't going to work either."
Would you like to see James Cameron direct a Cleopatra film starring Angelina Jolie? Tell us in the comments!
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1650361/20101019/story.jhtml
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