Spielberg to remake the Ten Commandments!

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It is regarded as one of the greatest movies in Hollywood history. But it looks like even Charlton Heston’s The Ten Commandments is not beyond the current trend of Hollywood remakes, with Steven Spielberg close to agreeing with Warner Bros to direct. According to Deadline.com however, the ET film-maker is hoping to give his version of the story of Jewish prophet Moses a far different spin to the 1956 version.

An insider told the website he is hoping to make his sword and sandals epic ‘like a Braveheart-ish version of the Moses story.’

Interestingly, Moses will be portrayed as a tough warrior in the new film, whereas Heston played him as a humble man with great inner strength.

It currently has the working title Gods And Kings, and will follow the complete life of the prophet.

It will start from Moses’ humble beginnings as an orphan found floating down the river in a basket, all the way through to him freeing the Jews and leading them to The Promised Land.

The insider added it will show him, ‘being adopted, leaving his home, forming an army, and getting the Ten Commandments.’

One small comfort for cinephiles is that while the movie will undoubtedly feature the spectacular parting of the Red Sea, it is not being considered as a 3D feature.

While they will share the same source material, it is understood that rather than being a straight remake of Cecile B. DeMille’s classic, Warner Bros want Spielberg to direct it in the gritty reality-based style of Saving Private Ryan.
Signing on the dotted line: But hopefully Steven’s contract won’t weight as much as the Ten Commandments stones

Signing on the dotted line: But hopefully Steven’s contract won’t weight as much as the Ten Commandments stones

The source said: ‘There have been glossy versions of the Moses story but this would be a real warrior story.’

The studio has been courting the Schindler’s List director since last September, when he first read the script.

And while it first seemed unlikely he would agree to do it, it seems he became keen on the idea, and will set his deal in stone by the end of the month.

However it will still be a long time before the flick will hit the silver screen, as production only has a tentative start date of March or April of 2013.
Charlton athletic: Heston’s energetic performance of Moses as a modest but strong man was widely praised

Charlton athletic: Heston’s energetic performance of Moses as a modest but strong man was widely praised

The film is being produced by Matti Lesham, who came to the studio with a treatment that was bought for development.

Interestingly his most notable work to date is 2008’s Paula Abdul: Cardio Cheer, which may be why heavyweight Sherlock Holmes producer Dan Lin has also came on board.

The screenplay is being penned by Paradise Lost writer, who has teamed up with Michael Green who co-wrote last year’s The Green Lantern.
You’ve Scot to be kidding: Using Braveheart as the inspiration for the new movie is an interesting idea

You’ve Scot to be kidding: Using Braveheart as the inspiration for the new movie is an interesting idea

It means legendary director Spielberg is as busy as ever.

The Escape to Nowhere favourite has just finished directing historical epic Lincoln, and is currently working on Robopocalypse, in which robot-reliant society faces extinction after an artificial intelligence program is unleashed.

The original Ten Commandments is one of the most profitable films of all time, grossing $65 million in 1956, which is equivalent to close to $1 billion today.