Alex Proyas will direct Legendary Pictures' adaptation of John Milton's classic 17th-century poem "Paradise Lost," the filmmaker's representation at CAA has confirmed to TheWrap.
Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce the possibly 3D project with Vincent Newman.
The story concerns an epic war in heaven between archangels Michael and Lucifer, so naturally, the movie will be crafted as an action vehicle that will include aerial warfare, just as Milton surely intended.
All kidding aside, while I see little appetite for an action movie based on an old poem, I'm one of Proyas' biggest supporters, so at least Legendary went out and hired a talented filmmaker with a remarkable eye for striking visuals.
Proyas is behind one of my favorite films, "The Crow," and the look of that influential movie has been imitated (with varying degrees of success) numerous times on the big screen since its release in 1994. Proyas also directed "Dark City," which Roger Ebert named the best movie of 1998, as well as the effects-heavy sci-fi films "I, Robot" and "Knowing."
Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi wrote the initial adaptation, which was later developed by Stuart Hazeldine, whose draft was then polished by Lawrence Kasdan ("Raiders of the Lost Ark"). Ryan Condal delivered the most recent draft of the script.
The project is expected to fall under Legendary's co-production and co-financing agreement with Warner Bros., which will distribute the film worldwide.
Along with Graham King's GK Films and Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road, WB and Legendary recently teamed on Ben Affleck's entertaining crime drama "The Town," which opens this weekend.
Proyas is also attached to direct "Dracula Year Zero," a Universal project that is supposed to star Sam Worthington.
The "Paradise Lost" news was first reported by Variety.
