The historical epics set to besiege your cinema

Since Ridley Scott resurrected the swords and sandals genre with Gladiator in 2000, the historical epic has grown more and more popular. With massive budgets, thousands of extras and battle scenes that try to top each other year after year, the historical epic has become a regular feature in cinemas over the last ten decade, with Troy, Kingdom Of Heaven, Alexander, Robin Hood, Mongol, 300, King Arthur, The Last Legion, Pathfinder, Beowulf, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and Clash Of The Titans all vying for our attention.

This year is no different, and with Michael Mann rumoured to be directing an adaptation of Bernard Cornwall's account of the Battle of Agincourt, Sharpe, it looks set to continue. We've already seen the likes of Robin Hood, Solomon Kane, Centurion, Clash Of The Titans, Agora, Black Death, Arn: Templar Knight as well as Pillars Of The Earth and Spartacus: Blood And Sand on TV.

But already Hollywood is planning the next generation of epics that will either stand tall with Gladiator and Kingdom Of Heaven: The Director's Cut or be ignored, like Alexander.

Coming Soon

Conan

Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of. And unto this came Conan, destined to wear the jewelled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow!

Relative unknown Jason Momoa may be no Arnie, but he looks the part, and the rest of the cast, including Ron Perlman, Rose McGowan, Rachel Nichols and Stephen Lang, should make this a good, old-fashioned violent epic. It's due out next year.

Immortals

Directed by Tarsem Singh, Immortals was previously called War Of The Gods, but I guess the studios thought it was too close to Clash Of The Titans. Starring Henry Cavill (The Tudors), it tells the story of Theseus. He embarks on a quest to become his country's greatest warrior, as he leads the battle against the long-imprisoned Titans who are hoping to use demons to restore their power. Freida Pinto and Mickey Rourke also star.

The Eagle

Formerly titled The Eagle Of The Ninth, this film is a sort of spiritual sequel to Centurion.

Set 15 years after the Ninth Legion disappeared, The Eagle tells the story of Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) who ventures north of Hadrian's Wall to discover the whereabouts of the lost legion, which his father commanded.

With him is a young Celtic slave, Esca (Jamie Bell), rescued from a gladiatorial arena and helping him in his quest, as he disguises himself as an occultist to travel north of the Wall. Donald Sutherland also stars and it's directed by Kevin MacDonald (State Of Play, The Last King Of Scotland). Early signs are it's worth keeping an eye on.

Ironclad

Tiny budget, fantastic cast. Relative newcomer Jonathan English is directing James Purefoy, Sir Derek Jacobi, James Flemyng, Brian Cox, Paul Giamatti, Robert Carlyle, Kate Mara, William Moseley, Pete Postlethwaite, Bob Hoskins and Mackenzie Crook in a Templar Knight film.

Set in England after the signing of the Magna Carta, Ironclad tells the story of a determined group of Knights Templars who defend Rochester Castle from the devious King John. The Templars will be led by Purefoy, who mobilises the group against Paul Giamatti's King John.

The film is said to be the largest film production ever to be undertaken in Wales... and yet the budget is only $25 million.

Season Of The Witch

This was meant to be released over the summer, and has only just come out of release limbo, with an early 2011 date mooted. It stars Nicolas Cage (sporting another ridiculous haircut) and Ron Perlman as two Templar Knights who are escorting a suspected witch to a monastery, where monks deduce her powers could be the source of the Black Death.

Looks to be pure hokum, but it's got zombie monks in it!

In Development

Mortis Rex

A sort of Gladiator/Outlander hybrid, Mortis Rex is set in 122 AD. It tells the story of a disgraced Roman war hero who is sent to defend a Roman garrison stationed in remotest Scotland from a spate of mysterious killings. The hero reclaims his rightful warrior status by vanquishing a terrifying supernatural beast with the help of a beautiful local Druid maiden.

Gladiators Vs Werewolves: Edge Of Empire

Firstly, Best title ever? Secondly, it better capitalise on it, unlike Snakes On A Plane.

Set during AD 160, Gladiators Vs Romans features a legion set to capture a clan of savage wolf-like creatures which roam the lowlands, in order to send them to Rome for the games. During the operation, Titus, the centurion tasked with hunting and trapping the wolf-creatures, is bitten, and realises he will soon become the thing he has hunted.

Medieval

Rob Cohen is rumoured to be working on this film, which has been described as “The Dirty Dozen in the age of castles, plagues and serfs”. In Cohen's own words: "The film opens with a diverse group of warriors all imprisoned together, discussing how they've all ended up in this unfortunate circumstance. This eclectic group consists of a knight, a thief, a samurai, a Zulu warrior, a Viking, and a few others.

“All of them have been set-up and brought together for one reason: a wealthy man has tasked them with stealing a crown from an impenetrable vault of treasure. The crown is his, but they can keep whatever treasure that can carry out. The twist is that they only have till daylight to do so because they've all been injected with a poison that'll kill them upon direct contact with the sun.

“With Ocean's Eleven-like precision, they break into the vault in an incredible sequence of agility and stunts utilizing their own individual skill-sets, involving magnetic hallways and pressure sensitive floors, they enter the vault...

“At various points, they're attacked by gangs of birdmen, gypsy women, sumo wrestlers, Zulu warriors, etc.”

Erm, yeah. There's a reason he hasn't made a good film since Dragonheart...

Rome: The Movie

If you were a fan of HBO's epic Rome series, then never fear: creator Bruno Heller has written a script that will see the return of Lucius Vorenus (apparently he didn't die) and Titus Pullo.

The original series bible called for the third season to feature the “hedonistic Roman leaders to deal with the rise of a certain problematic rabbi - a storyline that would have put a whole new spin on The Greatest Story Ever Told and potentially bring Rome a larger audience.”

"I discovered halfway through writing the second season the show was going to end," Heller said. "The second was going to end with death of Brutus. The third and fourth season would be set in Egypt. The fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine. But because we got the heads-up that the second season would be it, I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which accounts for the blazing speed we go through history near the end. There's certainly more than enough history to go around."

Vorenus and Pullo slapping around Jesus? I'll see that!

Amazon

If ever there was a story that needed to be shown on the big screen, it is that of the Amazonian female warriors. Rumours have indicated that Scarlett Johansson is interested in the role of a female gladiator in 200 BC who takes on the might of an army after her homeland is destroyed. However, last time she was questioned about the role, she said she wasn't sure about becoming such an 'action star'.

She said, "I think I'm supposed to be a gladiatrix. These film guys are crazy about gladiatrixes. But do I fit the mould? I'm a Danish/Jewish girl from New York. I've done weapons training. I've fired all kinds of guns; 9mm semi-automatics, machine guns, shotguns. I've jumped off a 60-foot building. I learnt to ride for The Horse Whisperer. But I've never done a full-on action role.”

Rumoured

William Tell

The story of the famous Swiss hero who, as legend has it, was forced to shoot an apple off his son's head to win his freedom from Austrian occupiers, has been rumoured for an adaptation for years. It was first announced in 2002 with Heath Ledger, Cameron Diaz and Tom Wilkinson starring, then it was rumoured that Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Tristan And Isolde) would direct it under the title Ironbow. However, nothing materialised.

Now, it is rumoured that stunt coordinator and second unit director Ian Quinn will make his feature directorial debut on the $60 million production.

William The Conqueror

Killer Films has signed a deal with the GC Corp. to co-produce the medieval action film William The Conqueror by screenwriters Brian Edgar and Derek Wallbank, reports Variety. The script follows the rise of the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy to the English crown in 1066 following the Battle of Hastings.

The project marks a left turn from Killer's well-known indie projects, which include Boys Don't Cry, Far From Heaven and Hedwig And The Angry Inch.

"This is a big-budget studio movie. For many years we've been interested in a bigger canvas. It was just a matter of finding the right project," Killer Films' Pamela Koffler told the trade.

Hannibal

For years, Vin Diesel has been trying to get a Hannibal of Carthage film made. Rumour has it that if the next Fast And Furious film is a hit, Universal may give him the budget to make it.

Red Sonja

Robert Rodriguez's remake of Red Sonja has been in development for years. His current beau Rose McGowan was 'cast' years ago and publicity posters released, but with Rodriguez rumoured to be doing Deadpool and Sin City 2, it is not known if this will even get made.

And if all this wasn't enough, you have Starz planning a new Arthurian series in Camelot and HBO's Game Of Thrones coming next year! Strap on your swords, because the next 12 months are going to get violent...!

Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here.