It is a role that until now has belonged to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor.
But on Sunday, Gal Gadot confirmed that she will star as Cleopatra in a new movie to be directed by her Wonder Woman helmer Patty Jenkins.
‘Cleopatra is a story I wanted to tell for a very long time. Can’t be more excited and grateful,’ the Israeli actress, 35, shared on her Instagram.
Big role: Gal Gadot, 35, is set to star as Cleopatra in a new movie for Paramount Pictures, she confirmed on Sunday
Gadot added: ‘I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life.’
The ambitious project will go into pre-production at Paramount Pictures which won a bidding war between Universal, Warner Bros., Apple and Netflix, according to Deadline.com.
It’s not known how the story of the Queen of Egypt will be tackled in this new retelling of the famous legend.
In 1963, Elizabeth Taylor portrayed Cleopatra as a beautiful seductress who had affairs with both Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony as she sought to hold onto power as the Roman Empire expanded.
Big shoes to fill: The Queen of Egypt was memorably played by Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor in a 1963 epic
Back together: The new Cleopatra reunites Gadot with Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and the two are also co-producing the historical drama from a script by Laeta Kalogridis
Excited: In an Instagram post on Sunday, the actress confirmed the project and shared that she’s been wanting to play Cleopatra for ‘a very long time’
Delayed: 2017’s Wonder Woman, starring Gadot and directed by Jenkins, was the highest-grossing live-action film by a female helmer. The highly anticipated sequel Wonder Woman 1984 is currently in release limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The script for the new film is being written by Laeta Kalogridis, who penned the screenplay for 2004’s epic Alexander as well as Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Shutter Island in 2010 and 2015’s Terminator Genisys.
It’s not surprising that a major Hollywood studio would be willing to embark on such a high profile project and commit to a theatrical release, given that 2017’s Wonder Woman, starring Gadot and directed by Jenkins, was the highest-grossing live-action film by a female helmer.
The highly anticipated sequel Wonder Woman 1984 is currently in release limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Infamous film: Taylor’s Cleopatra was the highest-grossing movie of 1963. However, it was beset by production delays and scandal, to the point of almost bankrupting 20th Century Fox
Chemistry: The film is best known for bringing together Taylor and Richard Burton, who played Marc Anthony. After meeting on set, the two stars embarked on an affair although they were married to other people at the time, creating headlines around the world
Taylor’s Cleopatra was also hugely successful at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing movie of 1963 with a North America gross of $57.7 million.
However, it cost $44 million to make and was beset by production delays and scandal, to the point of almost bankrupting 20th Century Fox.
It is best known for bringing together Taylor and Richard Burton, who played Marc Anthony.
After meeting on set, the two stars embarked on an affair although they were married to other people at the time, creating headlines around the world.
They ultimately divorced their spouses and married in 1964.
Cleopatra was nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture and won four – for Art Direction, Cinematography, Visual Effects and Costume Design.
The real life Cleopatra ruled Egypt for three decades, first with her father, then with her two younger brothers and finally with her son, reputed to have been fathered by Julius Caesar.
Hollywood history: Cleopatra was nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1964, including Best Picture and won four – for Art Direction, Cinematography, Visual Effects and Costume Design.