By The Benjamin Button screenwriter is currently in negotiations to rewrite a Brian Hegeland (Robin Hood (2010), Man on Fire) script adapting Stacy Schiff’s book Cleopatra: A Life. David Fincher is also reportedly interested in the project. I’d imagine that working with Roth on another film might sweeten the deal for Fincher. Let’s face it, though. If Girl with the Dragon Tattoo winds up taking home Oscars, even with the deck stacked against it, David Fincher will be able to do whatever he damn well wants.
Personally, I’d love to see him tackle the story of Cleopatra. I see him as a versatile-enough filmmaker to make something markedly different than Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic performance (though I’m still skeptical about his Dragon Tattoo remake-readaptation), and certainly the story of Cleopatra has been ridiculously sensationalized over the ages, so I’d love to see him try and make a significantly more grounded, realistic take on the infamous ruler. Also, the notion of Fincher working in an ancient Egyptian setting gives me a semi.
[Via Variety]