Ridley's Scott's Exodus

Starring Christian Bale as Moses, Joel Edgerton as Ramses, Sigourney Weaver as Tuya, mother of Ramses, Ben Kingsley as....? Perhaps this movie sent Spielberg's projected film on the same topic into the river. Starts filming in Spain, Morocco, and England this month. I assume 20th Century Fox and various producers will be spending c. $200 million on this. I'm actually looking forward to it. I'd rather this than yet another superhero film. I felt let down by Prometheus, but presumably they have better material for this one, although just as many implausibilities perhaps. Can't see how they can top DeMille, but perhaps. And surely it won't be rated G, like the earlier one, but will be a tough PG-13....

Thoughts?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sigourney-weaver-reteam-ridley-scott-615097

"Sigourney Weaver to Reteam With Ridley Scott in 'Exodus' (Exclusive)
1:12 PM PDT 8/27/2013 by Tatiana Siegel
UPDATED: The three-time Oscar nominee, who launched her film career with a starring role in Scott's 1979 sci-fi classic "Alien," has signed on to play Tuya, mother of Ramses.
Sigourney Weaver is set to reteam with director Ridley Scott for 20th Century Fox's tentpole Exodus...."(more at link)

Sorry about the typo in the thread title. Would a Gort fix it please? Thanks.

 

I didn't realize there were so many white Egyptians in ancient times.

 

Seriously though, not to bring up a taboo subject but I will. Scott couldn't find any black or Arab actors to cast in lead roles? This is 2013, not 1956.

 

Maybe this will be adressed in post production kind of like 3D done in post rather than during filming. LOL

 

If this movie makes dime one, I'll be extremely surprised.

 

I'll see it, but I would tend to agree that it's unlikely to make a profit. The closest parallel to something like this is maybe Scott's Kingdom of Heaven, which in the director's cut I think is actually one of his very best film. Probably in the top 5 for me. But that film only barely broke even. I would think the same would hold true for this one.

 

I bet the movie makes millions. I think the appeal of Biblical material is overlooked or under-estimated.

But I'm sort of disappointed. The biggest myth of Western culture and it will be absurdly presented yet again. I have been studying Egyptology for decades and I expect to be severely disappointed. But then a wildly inaccurate depiction of something that probably never happened. . . if you look at it that way it sort of makes sense. . . it's all a fantasy. Still I'd love to see an exciting and somewhat accurate movie of the Rameside period (and it's not even an Egyptian period I would pick in the top five to be subject of a movie; I think one of the Doherty novels set in the Hatsepshut period would make good films, strike a balance between the historical and plots that are modern enough to film.)

 

" Sorry about the typo in the thread title. Would a Gort fix it please? Thanks "

Benny...my neighbor...you've got 15 minutes to fix the subject line yourself. Just keep clicking on the More Options button, until the subject line appears.

This isn't to " correct " you, but to help educate you for the future. I usually agree with, and like 99% of your posts, so please don't misunderstand.

 

I think it's certain to make money unless it tries to completely mess with the story as people understand it. If they try to de-mystify the story or deconstruct it, it'll be a total flop. If it is simply a re-presenting of the traditional Exodus story using contemporary technology, it'll probably be a huge hit. I mean, look at that Bible miniseries - it was a huge success despite the fact that in some ways it was very poorly done (at least in my opinion). The Moses episode especially didn't hold a candle to any scene from The Ten Commandments even with contemporary production values. Surely Ridley Scott will do a better job than that.

I do think they could stand to cast some authentically Middle Eastern or African actors though. It's a bit silly to keep presenting ancient Egyptians as Brits with eyeliner.

 

Regardless of what one thinks about the historicity of the Exodus story, there's no doubt that it is an extremely significant story in Western culture. Whether is it regarded as history or mythology is quite beside the point. I don't think any Greek historians would be put out if Ridley Scott decided to put The Iliad to film. Of course, that may more depend on one's opinion of Ridley Scott.

I do think they could dispense with identifying anyone named Rameses as the Exodus pharaoh. If I remember correctly, I think it's pretty well agreed that if the Exodus did happen, it didn't happen during the Rameside period.

 

Exactly. And there is no evidence that any Israelite tribes built any pyramids under enslavement or not. The whole thing just bugs me because Biblical archaeology is of great interest to me. I know why the story is compelling and of interest, but I'm disappointed that we'll see another film that perpetuates misinformation. I'll bow out of the discussion now til the film is out. I'll see it. I'm actually a Scott fan.

 

Christian Bale as Moses? I hope he leads the tribe to some food, he could use a little himself. I can't wait until he mumbles out the ten commandments. Eh? What was that, Moses? Scott may have resuscitated the gladiator genre (briefly) but the Cecil B. Demille Easter pageant? This sound just horrible. I'm sure there will be some great shots of slaves being whipped and crushed under stones, but it sound like a tough sell to me. Instead of the biblical genre being under employed, I think the Christian right as box office grit is being over-estimated on this one.


"John Turturro has also signed on to play the husband of Weaver's character."

Really? People are going to be constantly waiting for the punchline when he shows up in a big bushy beard.

 

Moses supposedly had a speech impediment, so that part of the casting they got right.

 

I don't people think are in the mood for another biblical epic
after the Passion The Christ which I thought Mel did
a great job directing. Doesn't anybody remember the Bible Mini series
on cable this year? Why do another Moses movie there are plenty
of them. With Scott, of late. He lacks vision in movie making
anymore.


Edit, Christen Bale played Jesus why would
he want to play Moses.

 

Sounds awful...

 

Maybe, Scott will tie this in with the Prometheus franchise. That was our origin story, after all.

 

Ben Kingsley is of South Asian descent, at least (although not African or Middle Eastern, of course).

 

Where's your messiah now, see?

 

Thanks, but I must be truly blind and dim. Where is the "More Options" button? I apologize, but I'm just not seeing it. Like my car keys, it's probably right in front of my face. I feel like an idiot.

 

After you post, click on edit, the More Options button will be between the Save Changes and the Cancel buttons.

 

Moses supposes...

 

Without any doubt it will be a three-hours-plus visual spectacle. WIth all these stars and digital effects it's going to look fantastic.
For me it's all depending on if the story doesn't collapse under the visuals, but I wasn't a Promotheus-fan to be honest...

 

As usual, I agree with you. The only thing that can make this movie sale is the name Ridley Scott (and Sigourney Weaver up to a lesser degree) on it, problem is, Ridley Scott seems kind of "lost it". When was the last time he did a really good yet entertaining film? Gladiator entertained me up to a point, but that was 13 years ago. Prometheus? Biggest rubish I've seen in years, only surpassed by Steroided Smurfs, sorry, I meant Avatar.

 

If Sigourney played God we might get somewhere.

 

You have to admit that one thing Ridley Scott is great at is creating worlds that in real life we can never see.
"Gladiator" and "Kingdom of Heaven" are two examples of a past that he made live and breath.
"Kingdom of Heaven" in particular.
The director's cut is a thing of beauty and light years better than the one the studio released.
Watch it, it is well worth your time.
On "Black Hawk Down" soldiers from that unfortunate episode came to the mixing stage to look at a reel and said it looked and sounded like it really was.
He is a director obsessed with all details from the very big to the very small.