Dune director Denis Villeneuve is already on to his next project — Cleopatra. The filmmaker is reportedly working on the movie for Sony Pictures with Zendaya playing the role of the Egyptian ruler.
While it was announced that Villeneuve was in talks about directing the Cleopatra film almost six years ago, there had been a lack of updates on the project for some time. Now with Dune: Part 2 awaiting a 2024 release, it is being speculated that the director will begin filming the historical movie next year.
#DunePartTwo. March 15, 2024. pic.twitter.com/YSlsa8Qw1x
— DUNE (@dunemovie) August 28, 2023
For the uninitiated, there are multiple Cleopatra movie projects in development currently. In addition to Villeneuve’s project with Zendaya, there is another feature film in work featuring Gal Gadot as the titular character. So, in case you are curious as to what Villeneuve’s Cleopatra will look like, the plot, casting details and potential release date, here is everything to know.
Which actors are likely to star in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Cleopatra’ movie?
According to scooper Daniel Richtman, Villeneuve may reunite with his Dune stars in his next film. With Zendaya attached to play Cleopatra, it has been revealed that Timothée Chalamet has also been offered the role of Octavius and Daniel Craig is being considered for the role of Caesar. While this information is intriguing, excited fans may want to wait till an official announcement is made.
Is ‘Dune 3’ Happening? Here Is What We Know About The Sci-Fi Film
Dune Prequel Series: Cast, Plot & Everything We Know So Far!
What will be the plot of the 2024 ‘Cleopatra’ movie?
The screenplay for the Cleopatra movie will be penned by David Scarpa, known for his work on All The Money in the World, and it will draw inspiration from the best-selling biography by Stacy Schiff. Scarpa has indicated that the film’s plot will lean more towards a gripping and intense political thriller rather than a historical story.
In a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he explained the plot as, “With Cleopatra … instead of doing the movie as the prestige picture — the three-hour, lots of pageantry, people with fans and English accents and all that stuff — we really treat it as a political thriller. Dirty, bloody, lots of people swearing and having sex and all of that other stuff and just treat it as a two-hour, lean, mean political thriller, full of assassinations, etc. Just going the opposite direction from the way we think that movie is going to go.”
Coming to the potential release date, it was reported that the movie will go into production in 2024. So, we can expect the film to be released not before 2026, depending on the filming schedule.
(Hero and feature image credit: Courtesy Instagram/Zendaya and Dune)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Who will be the leading actor in the 2024 Cleopatra movie?
According to media reports, Zendaya will be playing the lead role of Cleopatra.
– When will the new Cleopatra movie be released?
As of November 2023, there is no official release date update on the new Cleopatra movie. The film will go into production in 2024.
– Who is directing the 2024 Cleopatra movie?
Dune and Dune 2 director Denis Villeneuve is directing Cleopatra.
