Sir Ben Kingsley is touted to be sniffing after the role of King Herod in the prequel to Passion of the Christ, imaginatively-titled, Mary Mother of Christ. If successful in bagging the part, Kingsley would portray evil King Herod in the story which plots Herod and Mary at loggerheads over her son, Jesus.
Kingsley’s last family-friendly persona, George Melies in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo would soon become distant memory if he donned the crown of King Herod. As he’s got the thespy chops to eat the hind legs off Shakespeare’s donkey, the notion of Ben Kingsley going Biblical evil is one which could lead to nods and noms.
The script was penned by Passion of the Christ scribe Benedict Fitzgerald and Barbara Nicolosi. Saddled in the director’s chair is Alister Grierson whose previous film was the hollow James Cameron-produced mess (not unlike an axe wound) Sanctum. So either the project will rest on the astonishing gamut of talent it is acquiring or Grierson has somehow acquired skill as a filmmaker.
Rebutting claims that he had retired, Peter O’Toole has signed on to the film as well, alongside Julia Ormond. Dame Judi Dench is rumoured to be interested in the role of Anna the Prophetess and Hugh Bonneville is chomping at the trident to play the downstairs demon, Satan.
What do you think of a Passion of the Christ prequel WITHOUT Mel Gibson? Who will insult the minorities now? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Source: The Wrap
