Author Topic: Sword and Sandal movie updates  (Read 30688 times)

Offline delalluvia

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Sword and Sandal movie updates
« on: July 08, 2009, 01:15:20 am »
For those of you out there who like sword and sandal movies, I was perusing one of my fav author's website and he had a lot of interesting upcoming movies listed in his updates:

Early Christian terrorism?

The most anticipated Ancient World movie of 2009: "Agora", from director Alejandro Amenábar (The Others; The Sea Inside) starring Rachel Weitz as Hypatia, the scientist-scholar who ran afoul of the Christians in Alexandria in 415 A.D. It’s said to be the most expensive Spanish production ever, with an extraordinary recreation of ancient Alexandria (a city seldom depicted in movies). US release date: December 18

Kids and McKidd

Logan Lerman will play the title role in "Percy Jackson", based on the wildly popular Young Adult series of fantasy novels by Rick Riordan about a modern-day teenager who discovers he’s not just Percy, but Perseus, son of Poseidon (Kevin McKidd); cosmic adventures ensue. Uma Thurman plays Medusa, Sean Bean is Zeus, and Pierce Brosnan plays the centaur Chiron. Chris Columbus is directing. Look for release in 2010

New Spartacus

Sam Raimi (creator of TV’s Hercules and Xena) is co-producing "Spartacus: Blood and Sand", a 13-hour series to debut on Starz in 2010. Lucy Lawless will play the proprietor of a gladiator camp, while Australian actor Andy Whitfield will be Spartacus. From the press release: “Spartacus will take the story of the rebellious warrior-slave and re-imagine it for a generation of TV viewers raised on graphic novels and cutting-edge production technology....set in the brutal world of gladiators [with] no shortage of intense action and vivid, R-rated storytelling.”

New Ben-Hur

David Wyler, son of director William Wyler (who won an Oscar for Ben-Hur in 1959), is producing a new version of "Ben-Hur" as a $30 million TV miniseries. Steven Shill (of The Tudors, Rome, and Deadwood) will direct from a script by Alan Sharp (Rob Roy).

The women

Scarlett Johansson is set to star in "Amazon", the tale of a gladiatrix who exacts vengeance on the army that destroyed her homeland, circa 200 B.C. Screenplay is by the team of Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain, scripters for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and the upcoming new Conan epic.

Alexander the Straight, a musical

Alexander the Great goes Bollywood in "Royal Utsav". Thanks to reincarnation, the Greek conqueror finally realizes his dream of reaching India, where he meets a beautiful queen and inspires the author of the Kama Sutra. Expect singing, dancing, and lots of (strictly heterosexual) romance. Oliver Stone, eat your heart out!

HBO's Rome

Will there be a movie version of the TV series Rome? Bruno Heller says he would like to produce a theatrical wrap-up to his prematurely canceled HBO drama. “There is talk of doing a movie version. It’s moving along. It’s not there until it is there. I would love to round that show off.”

Catherine Zeta as Cleo - a musical

Catherine Zeta-Jones may play Cleopatra and Hugh Jackman may play Antony in "Cleo", a $30 million 3-D musical to be directed by Steven Soderbergh. Although the story has been oft-filmed (most famously with the 1963 Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton), this Cleo would be Hollywood’s first musical based on the star-crossed lovers. But don’t expect an Ancient World feast for the senses; the story will be transposed to 1920s America

Alexander the Straight, Part Deux

"Young Alexander the Great", about the conqueror’s teenaged years (think “Alexander 90210”) stars Sam Heughan as Alexander and Paul Telfer (of Hercules and Spartacus) as Hephaestion.

First Brad Pitt massacres "Troy", now he's set to destroy "The Odyssey"

Variety reports: “After turning Homer’s epic poem The Iliad into the 2004 film Troy, Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt are teaming with director George Miller to adapt the Greek poet’s other masterwork, The Odyssey. Their intention is to transfer the tale to a futuristic setting in outer space.” 

Hadrian the Straight?  I hope not

John Boorman will film Marguerite Yourcenar’s classic novel "Memoirs of Hadrian". The buzz: 007 star Daniel Craig as Hadrian. Who will play Antinous, the young lover deified by the emperor after drowning in the Nile? For the ultimate in Antinous worship, visit The Sacred Antinous.

Graphic novels

Director Peter Berg (Hancock) is set to make a new movie version of "Hercules", based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian War

Indy

Coming down the chimney this year? "Nicholas of Myra" is an independent feature about the original St. Nick. No, Virginia, not Santa Claus, but his ancient prototype who attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., shortly after Constantine the Great made Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire.


For additional info, pics and links here's the website
http://stevensaylor.com/StevensBookshopDVDNewMovies.html

Offline Mikaela

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2009, 08:34:02 am »
Hmmm.... I'd never thought I'd see Hypatia portrayed in film. A highly intelligent and scolarly woman, teacher to men, torn to pieces by a Christian mob bent on getting the point across that women should keep themselves in silence at home according to the word of Paul? Not modern-day film material in this day and age of kow-towing respectfully to religious believers no matter what. But of course, it remains to be seen exactly how she's portrayed. Perhaps she'll be depicted as a wanton blasphemer who had it coming.  :-\

The Scarlett Johanson "Amazon" thing sounds more like a fanboy's wet dream than an actual film...it isn't listed under her name at ImbD, but of course may be in the pipeline even so.

Whether or not all or some of these are just rumours or even jokes (I mean, Zeta-Jones in Cleopatra the musical!?!) this was an interesting read. Not that I'm generally into sword and sandal movies. But stuff based on mythology and ancient history can be very good and exciting. Unless it's "Troy". Ugh what a travesty in most respects, though the continual consolation prize of endless vistas of good-looking, toned and barely-clothed men somehow made it watchable... :P

Offline Kerry

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2009, 10:12:36 am »

Hadrian the Straight?  I hope not

John Boorman will film Marguerite Yourcenar’s classic novel "Memoirs of Hadrian". The buzz: 007 star Daniel Craig as Hadrian. Who will play Antinous, the young lover deified by the emperor after drowning in the Nile? For the ultimate in Antinous worship, visit The Sacred Antinous.


Daniel Craig as Hadrian? In steamy sex love scenes with a modern-day Antinous look-alike? Vah-Vah-Voom!!! Be still my beating heart! Can't wait! If they get an actor just half as gorgeous as the real Antinous, this'll be one heck of a hot-hot-hot movie! Phew, I'm feeling all hot and bothered just thinking about it!


The Emperor Hadrian's Lover, Antinous

Click on this link to visit the web site of The Temple of Antinous:

http://www.antinopolis.org/index.html


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Offline Kerry

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2009, 10:28:20 am »
Found this clip on YouTube re a BBC documentary about Hadrian and Antinous:

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Offline Kd5000

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2009, 10:39:51 am »
Wow, thanks for posting all that information. I've read some of Saylor's books and I really enjoyed Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome .  I didn't know he had a website and interesting one at that.  Thanks for that link.

I was aware of the movie version of MEMORIES OF HADRIAN as I was curious to see what John Boorman is doing of late.  Nobody on IMDB's msg board for "Memories of Hadrian" is really discussing the sexual angle of the film. Someone posted it would be great for Zach Efron to play Antinous, but others pointed out he'd turn down the role because of his Disney image. ;)

I had read that  AGORA was having problems finding a distributor in the USA. Hope they get one.  Are the studios worried about a religious group boycott?? I think not.

Some of those other projects sound very dicey.  I wish HBO would ad another season of ROME instead of just a two hour movie. I guess it was an expensive series.   Evidently ROME isn't very popular in Italy as they don't like these English lads playing their Italian ancestors.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2009, 04:12:18 pm »
Mikaela,

I agree, many of the potential shows are kinda iffy IMO.  Stuff like Scarlett Johannsen as a gladiatrix and Lucy Lawless as the owner of a gladiator school are pure fanboy fantasy movies where neither woman is likely to wear much.


Kerry,

Yes, the thought of Daniel Craig as Hadrian and some pretty boy toy as Antinous in a hot sexy clench makes me all wiggly as well.   ;D

Wow, thanks for posting all that information. I've read some of Saylor's books and I really enjoyed Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome.  I didn't know he had a website and interesting one at that.  Thanks for that link.

I was aware of the movie version of MEMORIES OF HADRIAN as I was curious to see what John Boorman is doing of late.  Nobody on IMDB's msg board for "Memories of Hadrian" is really discussing the sexual angle of the film. Someone posted it would be great for Zach Efron to play Antinous, but others pointed out he'd turn down the role because of his Disney image.

Funny thing is that I'm reading the book Long Way Down, the story of the charity motorcycle trip from Scotland to South Africa done by Ewan McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman, and in the book, Charley mentioned calling his dad (John Boorman) to check in and fill him in on the trip so far and his father was in a good mood because he'd gotten the OK for his movie about Hadrian.  It didn't really click until I read this blurb.

Zac Efron would be awesome in the part, IMO, since he basically looks like a young Jared Leto - who played Hephaestion to Colin Farrell's Alexander.  He's done with Disney, isn't he?

Quote
I had read that  AGORA was having problems finding a distributor in the USA. Hope they get one.  Are the studios worried about a religious group boycott?? I think not.

I would hope not.  I'm like Mikaela, I never thought they'd make a movie about her since what happened makes early Christians - including one who is now a saint - look extremely bad.

But thankfully, truth will out.

Quote
Some of those other projects sound very dicey.  I wish HBO would ad another season of ROME instead of just a two hour movie. I guess it was an expensive series.   Evidently ROME isn't very popular in Italy as they don't like these English lads playing their Italian ancestors. [/color]

Really?  I heard that those in Rome loved the series ROME because not only was it filmed there, the extras were played by Romans and the majority of the minor roles were played by Italian actors and even the craftsmen for some of the props were from Italy.  Yeah, I'd love another season of ROME as well, but it was a very expensive series.  The ratings for it were always better than for HBO's series ENTOURAGE, but ENTOURAGE had a much cheaper overhead since it's filmed in modern times in L.A. so when the time came to axe a series, HBO went with ROME sadly.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2009, 04:22:00 pm »
Found this clip on YouTube re a BBC documentary about Hadrian and Antinous:


Thanks for the link.  I've read up on them and I own the book Beloved and God, the story of Hadrian and Antinous and while spotty on actual facts, since there is not much known about their lives together, it does go into various theories about what happened to Antinous.

i.e. was he accidentally drowned or was it suicide or was he murdered?

and the reasoning behind each theory.  The book had lots of interesting reading about the orgiastic religion that was the worship of Antinous - why can't religion be like that anymore?  ;) and how devoted the faithful were to his worship.  The book mentioned recovery of statues of Antinous that had been carefully buried possibly lest they fall prey to marauders or even early Christian fanatics, and cemetery remains of young men or boys buried with decals of Antinous the god asking for his blessing.  It was really sweet and eye-opening.

I felt for Hadrian's wife Sabina though.  From all reports, Antinous got along with her alright.  I saw a bust of Sabina at the Louvre and it's one of the photos I regret not taking because she was drop dead gorgeous if that bust of her is anything to go by.  I posed by and had many pictures taken of me next to statues of Antinous though.  ;D
« Last Edit: July 09, 2009, 02:10:40 pm by delalluvia »

Offline Mikaela

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2009, 05:25:50 pm »
Daniel Craig as Hadrian? In steamy sex love scenes with a modern-day Antinous look-alike? Vah-Vah-Voom!!! Be still my beating heart! Can't wait! If they get an actor just half as gorgeous as the real Antinous, this'll be one heck of a hot-hot-hot movie! Phew, I'm feeling all hot and bothered just thinking about it!


Erm.... I hate to be a wet blanket, but..... I wouldn't get my hopes up till I saw the finished product.

Having seen what was left of the Achilles/Patrochlos relationship in "Troy", and the Alexander/Hephaestion and Alexander/Bagoas relationships in "Alexander", I entirely doubt Hollywood when it comes to portraying historical or mythical m/m relationships. They mostly haven't got the guts. At all.

Now the "sword and sandal movie I'd like to see made, would be someone filming "The Persian Boy", and actually staying true to the source material. Except I wouldn't mind the film being a tad more explicit, since Mary Renault's novel very maddeningly skirts around the sex oh-so-politely and with eyes very firmly closed. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit. Or two.  :P

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2009, 05:41:05 pm »
Having seen what was left of the Achilles/Patrochlos relationship in "Troy", and the Alexander/Hephaestion and Alexander/Bagoas relationships in "Alexander", I entirely doubt Hollywood when it comes to portraying historical or mythical m/m relationships. They mostly haven't got the guts. At all.

Heh, excellent point.  Yeah, they'd probably make Antinous, Hadrian's cousin or the gods forbid, his son.

Offline Kerry

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Re: Sword and Sandal movie updates
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2009, 02:00:09 am »
Thanks for the link.  I own the book Hadrian and Antinous I think it's called and while spotty on actual facts, since there is not much known about their lives together, it does go into various theories about what happened to Antinous.

i.e. was he accidentally drowned or was it suicide or was he murdered?


Some commentators believe Antinous may have ritually sacrificed himself by jumping into the Nile. Couple of reasons. Though he was born in what is modern-day Turkey, he was of Greek heritage and it is presumed he was raised in the Greek manner re the erastes/eromenos practice. This was not the Roman tradition, however, and even though Hadrian was a lover of Greek culture, his Court was not necessarily so. Hadrian and Antinous were a classic erastes/eromenos couple. Alas, however, where even the fundamentalist Romans of the day may have been prepared to turn a blind eye to this when Antinous was young, they were not prepared to do so when he became a man. And by all accounts, he grew into a fine figure of a young man, very athletic and masculine in his manner. He was certainly no mincing, perfumed, giggling court catamite. Whilst accompanying Hadrian on his inspection of Egypt, some believe that Antinous took the opportunity to sacrifice himself in the Nile (i) to save Hadrian the shame of having an adult male lover and (ii) because he knew that those who died within Hapy's dark embrace would be declared immortal and could possibly be deified. As it was, the latter occurred, thanks to Hadrian, though not formally. It was because of the depth of Hadrian's mourning for Antinous that so many fine statues of Antinous have come down to us. I recently read somewhere that his is one of the most recognized faces to survive the ancient world, mainly because of all the statues made of him and also because it was so late in the Roman Empire.
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