Producer Scott Rudin has been trying to get a new cinemtic take on Egyptian queen Cleopatra going ever since he snatched up the rights to Stacy Schiff’s book Cleopatra: A Life back in 2006. However, after several years of development and even with Angelina Jolie attached to play the lead, it hasn’t moved forward much. But now there’s a positive sign, as Oscar-winning writer Eric Roth has been approached to crank out the script.
Roth, who landed his golden baldie for Forrest Gump, most recently worked on the upcoming Stephen Daldry film Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, which features Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.
Brian Helgeland has already taken one crack at the Cleo screenplay, which according to Variety, will tell her story from “a woman’s perspective.”
Rudin has also been trying to find a big name director to handle what will no doubt be an expansive and expensive production. James Cameron was briefly interested, expressing a desire to shoot (of course!) in 3D. But Jolie and Rudin have long been trying to get David Fincher interested. Up until recently, of course, he’s been a little busy working on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. But if Roth – who worked with him on The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button – does jump aboard, it could finally prompt Fincher to follow…