The Oscar-winning screenwriter behind “Gladiator” is penning a new script that challenges Muslim stereotypes – a bio-pic of the most popular poet in America.
David Franzoni is at work on a film about 13th century poet and scholar Jalaluddin al-Rumi with filming scheduled to begin next year.
Though best known as a great poet, Rumi’s life is the stuff of a big screen adventure.
WATCH: Beautiful Animated Film of Kahlil Gibran’s ‘The Prophet’ Now on DVD (WATCH)
Franzoni compares the Sufi Muslim mystic to Shakespeare, saying he provided “enormous talent and worth” to his society and culture.
In 2014 he became the best selling poet in America, even though he died more than 800 years ago. Among his best known writings are The Masnavi, a six-book collection of stories and homilies, including folk tales and sacred history, that were composed for the benefit of his disciples in the Sufi order named after him known as the whirling dervishes.
ALSO: Van Gogh Paintings Come to Life in Spectacular Oil Animation Film (WATCH)
“I think it’s a world that needs to be spoken to,” Franzoni told The Guardian, “Rumi is hugely popular in the United States. I think it gives him a face and a story.”
The movie hasn’t started casting yet, but there’s talk of Leonardo DiCaprio as the poet and Robert Downey, Jr. as Shams of Tabriz, a mentor who played a powerful influence on Rumi’s later writings. Through the use of huge Hollywood stars, the writer hopes to expose many more people to the genius that is Rumi.
SHARE The Mythic News With Your Friends… (Image credit: johnhain, CC)
So, Rumi and the Shams were both white men? This is good news to a point. A better way to help Muslims is to actually get the right ethnic background for the actors! PLEASE!!! This would NOT be hard for there are many amazing actors of all backgrounds!
Maz Jobroni and Ahmed Ahmed, to name two!