HOME TRAILERS 2013 SCHEDULE PODCASTS REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS SHORT FILMS NEWS FEEDS ABOUT APPS

LATEST NEWS

Brad Pitt Circling 'Pontius Pilate' Biblical Drama Set Up at Warner Bros

by Ethan Anderton
January 8, 2013

After journeying as far back as ancient Greek times in Troy, actor Brad Pitt is coming a little close to present day with another dramatic epic. Deadline has word that the World War Z star and producer is circling the lead title role in Pontius Pilate, the Warner bros. film about Lucius Pontius Pilate, the man who would become known forever as the one who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. But rather than being just a story recounting the gruesome punishment of the religious figure, the film follows Pilate's rise from a child to a Roman solider and general with a promising future under the rule of Emperor Tiberius.

Pilate's future takes a turn for the worse when instead of a military governorship in Egypt, he's assigned to become a prefect of Judea during one of the most tense and tumultuous times for Jerusalem and people of the Jewish faith. In what almost sounds like a Hithcockian story about a man who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, it chronicles every disastrous decision Pilate made, and leads up to the punishment and eventual killing of Christ. In addition, other historical figures like Caligula, John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene show up in the story.

Deadline describes the script as having, "the twists and unexpected turns that satisfyingly combine history, political maneuvering and storytelling inventions reminiscent of such films as Braveheart and Gladiator...and the script doesn’t have the polarizing chill some felt in The Passion Of The Christ." Sounds like an Oscar nominated film in the making, but Pitt is still only circling the role, and no deals have been made just yet. It would be quite an interesting role as Pilate isn't exactly a hero in this tale, and it's more of a recounting of one of history's most revered moments.

Filed under Casting, Development, Movie News

From around the web:

bozo connors

Yeesh... I'd stay away from that one WB. Practically free marketing though!!
http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin

I really hope that 2014 isn't the year of biblical epics in the same way that 2013 is the year of sci-fi...
- Danimal
  
  A story's a story, no matter how politically/religiously charged. I'm totally okay with this
  - http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin
    
    I agree with that, but for every one good script/story there are a dozen bad ones. Once religious epics become the trend then every studio is going to have one in development for the sole purpose of competition regardless of if they have a good story to produce.
    - $6296288
      
      you could say the same thing about any genre of film.
      - http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin
        
        I agree, but to me, even when a sci-fi film is bad, it's still pretty good (ie Prometheus). A dozen terrible biblical stories sounds like what I was forced to watch as a child.
      - nobodycares
        
        Nobody will be forcing you to watch now as an adult.Will they?
      - http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin
        
        I force myself to watch everything, being a cinephile is a badge that must be earned through countless hours of terrible films in search for that one shining gem )
- DAVIDPD
  
  Oh yeah...TOTALLY.
avi

sounds cool and brad should do it!
$6296288

i like the sound of this - i don't suppose mel gibson will be making an appearance in the film?
- nobodycares
  
  Why would he even? I like him as an actor and director but why would he be in this movie? If we go by logic of "because he made a movie about Jesus" than I 'd rather see Willem Dafoe as Jesus since I liked Scorseses movie about Jesus better. I know you were not serious. Were you?
  - $6296288
    
    no, i wasn't......and it had nothing to do with him making a previous religious film
nobodycares

It's loosely connected to the subject matter but what I would like is for somebody in Hollywood to make an epic movie based on Bhagavad Gita.It has all the ingredients of an awesome movie.The battle scenes alone are worth it not to mention the whole Krishna teaching Arjuna.I would not mind even if they use white actors.But of course we will never see it because it does not deal with christian mythology ,same as we will never see any movie dealing with muslim religion or even actual muslim history.A movie about Saladin would be an awesome movie.