Steven Soderbergh is in talks to make a 3-D rock ‘n’ roll musical based on the life and times of Cleopatra. Sources say that he’s apparently courting Catherine Zeta-Jones for the part of the Egyptian queen and Hugh Jackman as her lover Marc Antony, which will be set in 1920. Budgeted at $30 million, “Cleo” is being produced by Greg Jacobs and Casey Silver. Script is by former bass player James Greer and the music by indie rock band Guided by Voices.

Soderbergh is best known for his “Ocean’s” franchise and “Traffic”, this will be his first attempt at a musical. Zeta, 39 won a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her role in Chicago. Not sure if Dame Elizabeth Taylor would approve of this 3-D musical reincarnation of the 1963 classic, so I leave you with some interesting facts about the original.

1963 Cleopatra directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Original budget was $2 Million- it was made at the cost of $44 Million (in modern day that’s about $297 Million)

3rd Most Expensive Worldwide and 2nd Most Expensive in the US (behind Pirates of the Caribnean: At World’s End

Taylor originally was expected to make $1 Million ended up making $7 Million (equivalent to over $47 Million today)

Photo Credits:
Catherine Zeta Jones: Photo date: 25 July 2007 © WireImage.com - Image courtesy WireImage.com
Hugh Jackman: Photo date: 11 November 2006 Photo by Jesse Grant - © WireImage.com - Image

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