The year is still young, but what better way to start it out than by getting the rumor mills running with one of the bigger blockbuster epics potentially coming down the pipeline? With over a year past since Lincoln hit theaters, the world is long overdue for another film from Steven Spielberg, and it seems the director may have found his next project. According to Deadline, Spielberg has his sights set on Montezuma, a historical epic centered upon the Aztec ruler and his relationship with Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez.
For those not up on their Mesoamerican history, the dance between Cortez and Montezuma began when the explorer invaded the Aztec empire in 1519 and was held as a polite prisoner. But his lust for gold and riches led him to turn on Montezuma, sparking chaos and bloodshed. After Montezuma’s death, Cortez wound up marrying the ruler’s daughter — yet another wound in a battle that would never be won between the two mortal enemies.
Their story will come to life with a script that was actually written about 50 years ago by Dalton Trumbo (Spartacus), for a film that was supposed to be a starring vehicle for Kirk Douglas in 1965. That film clearly never came to be, and so Trumbo’s words will be given an update by Steve Zailian (Moneyball, American Gangster, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), who will also produce along with Spielberg.
Also circling the project is Javier Bardem, who has expressed his interest at playing Cortez. There is a possibility that the film could be renamed Cortez, as the plot is seen from the viewpoint of the explorer. However, with the project still in its early stages and the script still going through rewrites, the details of the plot and potential changes are still under wraps.
