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Synopsis:
This biographical epic follows the life of Alexander the Great who conquered the whole then known world and spread greek civilization to the most far off places. Alexander became king of Macedonia (and Greece at general) at a very young age, after the assassination of his father Philip who had previously united for the first time all of Greece under his belt. Alexander was educated by the great philosopher Aristotle who was brought from Athens for this particular reason. The new king was also very ambitious; he couldn't stop thinking about the Persian invasion on Greece almost 150 years before and his desire to get revenge was constantly growing. To that end, he started gathering an army to invade Asia; his first goal was to liberate the
Greek cities of Minor Asia's coast and his second to bring down the vast Persian Empire, against all odds.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 2005
Start Date: 2004
Confirmed Cast to date: Leonardo DiCaprio ... Alexander
Nicole Kidman ... Olympias
Damian Golden
Behind the camera:
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writers: Valerio Manfredi (Novels)
Ted Tally
UPDATE:
DiCaprio and 'Alex' Pull Out of Morocco
26 May 2003
Leonardo DiCaprio's new project Alexander The Great has had to pull out of Morocco because of fears over terrorist attacks. Following the suicide bombings in Casablanca, movie chiefs fear that DiCaprio may be a target because of his star status. Producer Dino De Laurentiis said: "Unless the situation changes in five or six months, any important American actor could be a target. That's a risk I cannot take." A studio to house the $150 million epic has been built in Ouarzazate, less than 300 miles from Casablanca. But it will be abandoned and production of the movie, directed by Baz Luhrmann, will now be moved to Australia. A rival biopic, Alexander, being made by Oliver Stone will carry on being made in Morocco.
UPDATE:
(6/23/03) Stone's movie is now being called Alexander, while this movie is now looking for a title which may be something different from 'Alexander the Great.'
(Update: Stone's film is now titled "Alexander")
UPDATE:
Rumor: Mel Gibson may sign on to play Alexander's father, King Phillip II of Macedonia.
UPDATE:
Alexander the Great Baz Luhrman Looking for a Young Alexander the Great!
Source: BBC Breakfast Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Alexander the Great director Baz Luhrmann told BBC Breakfast that he is looking to cast an unknown in the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman.
He's looking for someone to play the part of a young Alexander. Luhrmann says he will leave no stone unturned to find the actor to play the young Leonardo DiCaprio. The part of the young Alexander is crucial, says the director because it gets to the heart of what he needs to do with this film - which is to take an icon and make it human.
Alexander the Great was born in 356BC; he had conquered 90% of the world by the age of 25 but died at the age of 33. He led his armies across 22,000 miles of sieges and conquests over a period of eight years. He had a legendary horse, Bucephalus, with whom he had a close relationship.
If you or someone you know is interested in the role and meet the criteria...
-Baz Luhrmann is looking for a boy age 8 or 9
-Who must be able to ride a horse or be prepared to learn
-Must be a good physical match for Leonardo DiCaprio
Then send a color head shot, CV and statistical details including age, height, weight, and horse riding experience to:
Universal Pictures Feature Castings Dept
UNTITLED ALEXANDER THE GREAT PROJECT
100 Universal City Plaza
Building 2160/8A
Universal City, CA 91608
USA
UPDATE:
Aussie Troops Wanted For Alexander The Great
ABC News Online Tuesday, August 12, 2003
The New South Wales Government is calling on the Prime Minister, John Howard, to commit Australian troops to a theatre of war with a difference. It wants the Commonwealth to meet a request from Australian director Baz Luhrmann for about 500 soldiers to help film scenes for his new movie Alexander the Great. If the troops are made available the $250 million epic could be shot in Broken Hill. State Labor MP Peter Black says if that were to happen, it would benefit the entire Australian film industry. "The ball is very much in the Prime Minister's hands," Mr Black said. "This matter is not only of great financial importance to Broken Hill, it's not only important to the prestige of Broken Hill, but it's important to the financial wellbeing and prestige of Australia," he said. "If we can demonstrate that we can make a film like this in Australia then there will be other films to follow."
UPDATE:
Director Baz Luhrmann has hired veteran British playwright David Hare to write the script for Alexander the Great. Luhrmann has already written a treatment laying out his vision for the drama. Producer Dino De Laurentiis has sent Luhrmann's draft to several potential foreign distributors, albeit with a cover note explaining the final version will be significantly improved. Luhrmann's Alexander the Great is backed by Universal and DreamWorks, and is scheduled to start filming sometime in 2004.
UPDATE:
MELBOURNE boys have joined thousands of young hopefuls across the globe vying for a role in Baz Luhrmann's new epic Alexander the Great. The director issued a worldwide casting search in late July for a young boy to play the legendary conqueror as an eight or nine-year-old. The adult Alexander will be played by Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio, with Nicole Kidman cast as his mother, Olympia. The film's producers have been flooded with applications from all around the world. Luhrmann, director of Romeo and Juliet, Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge, wants a boy with equestrian skills who is a good physical match for DiCaprio. Four lads who think they can fill young Alexander's sandals met yesterday.
A dead-ringer for the young Leonardo, Mill Park 10-year-old Peter Jordan (PJ) Vissaris grew up being told about Alexander the Great by his Greek grandad. At 11, Taylor Gillings already has acting experience under his belt, attending the Victorian Youth Theatre and starring in school plays. Blackburn eight-year- old Jacob Couroyannis is another who grew up hearing about the great conqueror -- his grandfather was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Brighton mother Penny Price-O'Loughlin jumped at the opportunity after being constantly told her son, Corey, 7, resembled a young
DiCaprio.
UPDATE:
Leo's Alex on Hold
18 November 2003 (WENN)
Leonardo DiCaprio's dreams of playing historical legend Alexander The Great have been put on hold due to a lack of Japanese interest. Reports in yesterday's Daily Variety suggest producer Dino De Laurentiis has failed to pre-sell his project to Japanese investors. The delay means DiCaprio's next movie is likely to see him re-team with Robert De Niro in The Good Shepherd - after he wraps on Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator - instead of shooting Alexander The Great with Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann. Meanwhile, a rival $150 million Alexander project, starring Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer, and directed by Oliver Stone, is already well underway.
Director Baz Luhrmann has given an update on his Alexander the Great project which will star Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman. He says he will start filming next September, despite the fact that Oliver Stone's Untitled Alexander the Great Project is already filming.
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