Kari Skogland Taking Over Directing Cleopatra From Patty Jenkins

Kari Skogland, Patty Jenkins

by James White |
Updated on

With the recent news that Patty Jenkins' planned Star Wars movie, Rogue Squadron was being moved off the release calendar for now, we naturally assumed that meant she was focusing on the likes of a third Wonder Woman and her other collaboration with Gal Gadot, a new film about Cleopatra. Yet though she's certainly still all-in on DC's Amazonian warrior, she's stepping back from the other film, and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier's Kari Skogland will take over.

Jenkins remains on board the film as producer, but it's Skogland who will call the shots for Paramount's new take on the Egyptian queen, which has a script by Laeta Kalogridis. Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy, ancestor of the leader of Alexander the Great’s army. When Rome’s ruler Julius Caesar’s mentor-turned-rival Pompey fled to Egypt after a brutal war for control of the empire, Egypt became a fixation of Roman rulers. Two siblings battled for the throne of Egypt. After winning that internal struggle by appealing personally to Caesar, Cleopatra had a complicated relationship with Rome, becoming the lover of Caesar and later Marc Antony. The latter alliance would become the undoing of both Antony and Cleopatra.

Skogland had been considering several movies after her work on the MCU TV series and The Handmaid's Tale had drawn fresh attention, and she's now locked in her next gig. As for Jenkins, it remains to be seen whether she focuses on Rogue Squadron or Diana Prince going forward.

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us