Antoine Fuqua’s untitled Netflix movie starring Denzel Washington as Carthaginian general Hannibal, which was announced back in 2023, is finally set to start shooting this summer in Italy. The production will be based at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, sources confirmed to Variety.
Pre-production and location scouting on the historical epic written by John Logan — the three-time Academy Award winner who scribed Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator” and Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” — is underway in Italy, where the bulk of the lavish shoot is expected to take place.
The cinematographer on Fuqua’s Hannibal film is Robert Richard, another triple Oscar winner, whose credits include “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “The Aviator” and “JFK,” a source close to the production said.
According to the official logline, the movie is “based on real-life warrior Hannibal, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history. The film covers the pivotal battles he led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.”
Hannibal invaded Italy while riding a Northern African war elephant. Under his lead, the Carthaginians won key victories against the Romans, allowing Hannibal to occupy the majority of southern Italy for 15 years. Eventually, Hannibal was defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Zama after they counter-invaded North Africa.
Washington is producing the film alongside Erik Olsen, Adam Goldworm and Fuqua via his Hill District Media’s first-look deal with Netflix.
Washington recently starred in another movie set in ancient Rome, Scott’s “Gladiator 2,” in which he played a wealthy former slave named Macrinus who earned his freedom as a gladiator and then, after becoming very wealthy and powerful, schemed to seize control of the Roman Empire.
The Hannibal epic will mark Fuqua’s sixth collaboration with Washington, who won an Oscar for Fuqua’s “Training Day” in 2001. They most recently paired on 2023’s “The Equalizer 3,” with Washington reprising his role as ex-Marine Robert McCall, which was shot primarily in Italy.
Fuqua’s latest movie, the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael,” on which he also collaborated with Logan as screenwriter, will open in standard theaters and in Imax worldwide on April 24.
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