Kari Skogland's Cleopatra is now being eyed by Universal following its initial setup at Paramount. Some of Skogland's most notable credits come from television projects such as Boardwalk Empire, Vikings, The Americans, and The Handmaid's Tale, with her most recent being Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In Skogland's first feature film since 2008, Cleopatra will star Gal Gadot as the historic Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt who managed an intricate relationship with the Roman Republic as the lover of Julias Caesar and later, Marc Antony. News of Skogland's involvement came last year following Patty Jenkins' exit as director, a decision reportedly made in part to focus on Wonder Woman 3 and Rogue Squadron.
Now, according to a recent update from Deadline, Paramount, though still interested in Cleopatra, was unable to meet the timeline needed, which has resulted in a potential new distributor in Universal. Produced by Charles Roven at Atlas Entertainment, the report notes that this news should come as no surprise considering his current involvement with Universal on Christopher Nolan's upcoming Oppenheimer. There are, however, no deals in place at the studio right now.
It will be interesting to see what Skogland and screenwriter, Laeta Kalogridis, have planned for Cleopatra after countless movies and television shows have already been made, including the successful 1963 historical epic starring Elizabeth Taylor. Though the casting of Gadot has been met with criticism, Universal's immediate interest suggests the project has potential. With previous box office feats from both Gadot and Jenkins, Skogland's Cleopatra could take off under the right studio.
Source: Deadline