Brad Pitt to Star as Pontius Pilate in New Movie?
Hollywood actor Brad Pitt is apparently considering taking up the title role of Pontius Pilate in a new big budget period piece production of the same name coming from Warner Bros. studios.
The actor has not officially committed to the role, various sources reported, but according to CinemaBlend, "that could change very soon."
The movie does not yet have a release date and is still in pre-production, after the WB acquired the script written by screenwriter Vera Blasi.
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"This script follows the evolution of Lucius Pontius Pilate from the sensitive son of a Roman Knight into a ferocious soldier whose warrior exploits make him a general and puts him on a political track under the Roman Emperor Tiberius," Deadline.com shares.
"Promised a military governorship in Egypt, Pilate is instead assigned by Tiberius to become the prefect of Judea, at a time when Jerusalem was a cauldron of religious tensions between various factions of the Jewish faith. Pilate veers from the political fast track into the express lane to hell and historical infamy," report continues.
The critical moment of the story is when Pilate is asked to decide the fate of Jesus Christ, presented as a 33-year old rabbi accused by religious elders of claiming to be the King of the Jews. Other biblical figures expected to feature in the movie include John the Baptist, Salome and Mary Magdalene, although those roles have not been cast yet either.
The one big name attached to the movie so far is producer Mark Johnson, who has worked on award-winning TV show "Breaking Bad" and produced other major films like "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Trader," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," and "The Notebook."
As for the portrayal of Pontius Pilate, Deadline describes him as "one of history's most vilified figures," but Blasi's screenplay suggests a more conflicted character.
"The screenplay, which Blasi claims to have researched for more than a decade, imagines the Roman prefect as an unfortunate figure caught amid antagonistic religious factions who is forced to make the fateful decision after finding himself in desperate need of popular goodwill," the Guardian reports.
Hollywood has been turning to the Bible lately for inspiration, with movies based on Noah, Moses and brothers Cain and Abel lined up to begin production in the next year or so.
Audiences will be treated to a full platter of Brad Pitt movies in the upcoming year, with "Voyage of Time," "World War Z," "Twelve Years a Slave," and "The Counselor" all in post-production and all featuring the 49-year old superstar. "Pontius Pilate" would be his chance to add a biblically-based movie to his resume, however.
