Ridley Scott‘s epic Bible movie EXODUS already has a stellar cast that includes Christian Bale, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, Aaron Paul, Joel Edgerton, and John Turturro which puts it close to the all-star cast of the 1960 film of the same name. While that Paul Newman movie was centered on the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, the titles could be confusing for some. While it seems pretty obvious that EXODUS refers to the book of the Bible that shares the same name, apparently the producers want to drive home that this will not be a traditional religious film.
HitFix is reporting that the Ridley Scott movie will now be known by the very video game sounding title of EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS. Much like Darren Aronofsky‘s NOAH, EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS will be giving a modern spin on the classic tales that everyone thinks they know. Bale himself said not to expect the classic, studio Bible story from Scott’s film.
“It’s an intriguing piece, because it’s very few people that I’ve met that have actually read the Torah, the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses, all the way through,” he said. “Most people read snippets. If you read it all the way through, it’s harsh. It’s really ‘Old Testament.’ And violence in the extreme. He was not a man of any half measures whatsoever.”
While the violence may ruffle some traditional feathers, I think it will be refreshing to see the stories from the Old Testament told with the same darkness and edge that the period dictated. We often reflect on the era with a idolized view that makes it seem cleaner and more profound than it was. Ancient Egypt was not a place like CLEOPATRA, full of beauty and splendor. Hopefully EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS balances that edge with a powerful story.
EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS is slated to hit theaters on December 12, 2014.