Warner Bros is on board for a new project about Pontius Pilate, which, if done correctly, should offer viewers a more in depth picture of the historical figure some consider to be among the most reviled in the New Testament. Penned by Tortilla Soup scribe Vera Blasi, the script tells the story of Pilate’s rise through the military ranks, his promising political career and ultimately his thankless appointment to the religious hotbed of Judea.
Blasi told Deadline she estimates about eighty percent of the story arc was pulled from either The Bible or historical records, while the other twenty percent was made up to fill in the gaps. Raised Catholic, she spent years researching not only her main character’s life but also the other pertinent figures who played a central role in how Pilate ended up in Judea and why he chose to let Christ be nailed to the cross. Throughout the film, he’ll reportedly interact with Tiberius, Caligula, John the Baptist, Salome and Mary Magdalene and many others.
Mark Johnson has boarded the project as a producer, Lynn Harris will steer it and directors are reportedly being interviewed. With the right person in place to helm, this has the makings to be an epic and beautiful production. With the wrong person in place to helm, this could be a boring, unwatchable four-hour disaster. Fingers crossed for the former.
