The iconic role of Cleopatra, previously played by Elizabeth Taylor, will now be taken on by Gal Gadot. The actress confirmed on Sunday that she will star in a new movie directed by Patty Jenkins, who also directed her in Wonder Woman. Gadot expressed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to bring the story of Cleopatra to life, stating that it is a tale she has long wanted to share with audiences.
Gal Gadot, a renowned actress aged 35, has confirmed that she will play the role of Cleopatra in an upcoming movie for Paramount Pictures. Gadot expressed her love for new ventures and the excitement of working on new projects. The highly ambitious production will begin pre-production at Paramount Pictures, who reportedly won a bidding war against other big names such as Universal, Warner Bros., Apple, and Netflix, according to Deadline.com. How the story of the famous Queen of Egypt will be approached in this retelling is still unclear. In 1963, Elizabeth Taylor portrayed Cleopatra as a seductive woman who had romantic relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony while trying to maintain her hold on power as the Roman Empire expanded.
It’s a hefty task to step into the role of the Queen of Egypt, as it was famously portrayed by the iconic Elizabeth Taylor in a grand 1963 film.
Reunited and it feels so good: Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot is teaming up with director Patty Jenkins once again for the upcoming historical drama Cleopatra. The two talented ladies are also co-producing the film, which will feature a screenplay from writer Laeta Kalogridis.
Full of enthusiasm, the actress took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that she will be taking on the role of Cleopatra. She shared that this has been a dream of hers for quite some time, and she can’t wait to bring the iconic queen to life on screen.
The release of Wonder Woman 1984, the highly anticipated sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman starring Gadot and directed by Jenkins, has been delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The original film broke records as the highest-grossing live-action movie directed by a female.
Laeta Kalogridis, the screenwriter behind successful films like Alexander, Shutter Island, and Terminator Genisys, is currently working on the script for an upcoming film. It’s no surprise that a major Hollywood studio has signed up for this project, considering the success of Wonder Woman in 2017. Directed by Patty Jenkins and featuring Gal Gadot, the film set records as the highest-grossing live-action movie directed by a woman. Unfortunately, the release of the highly anticipated sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, has been put on hold due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Back in 1963, Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra was a massive hit at the box office, but the movie faced several issues during production that almost led to 20th Century Fox going bankrupt. Despite its success, the film was infamous for its production delays and scandal.
The noteworthy film, Cleopatra, is widely recognized for bringing together Hollywood’s power couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The talented actors met on set and famously began an affair, despite both being married at the time. Their scandalous relationship caught the attention of media outlets worldwide and became a popular topic of discussion. Cleopatra was a commercial success and topped the 1963 box office charts in North America with earnings of $57.7 million. However, the film faced numerous production issues and controversies, which nearly caused 20th Century Fox to go bankrupt. Despite these setbacks, the movie received nine nominations at the Academy Awards, ultimately winning four awards for Art Direction, Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Costume Design. In real-life, Cleopatra was an Egyptian queen who ruled alongside her father, two younger brothers, and son (rumored to have been fathered by Julius Caesar) for over three decades.
Did you know that the classic movie Cleopatra was up for an impressive nine Academy Awards back in 1964? Not too shabby! And even better, it managed to bring home four of them, specifically for Art Direction, Cinematography, Visual Effects, and Costume Design. Talk about a well-deserved win!
