Will Smith may be headed for ancient Egypt in his next role. Randall Wallace (BRAVEHEART) has been hired to write THE LAST PHARAOH for Columbia, a drama created as a star vehicle for Smith to play Taharqa, the pharaoh who battled Assyrian invaders in 677 B.C., per VARIETY.
Smith, James Lasister and Ken Stovitz will produce for Overbrook Ent. Smith brought Wallace the story, having long wanted to play the Egyptian leader. The film will focus on Taharqa's battles with the Assyrian leader Esarhaddon.
Smith will next appear in Columbia's SEVEN POUNDS, teaming him back up with Gabriele Muccino (PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS) that Overbrook is producing with Escape Artists.
Wallace will next direct a Disney film about Triple Crown-winning racehorse Secretariat and its owner Penny Chenery, from a Mike Rich script.
Wallace has also signed up to write KILLING ROMMEL with author Steven Pressfield, a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Disney film about an actual British plot to assassinate German field marshal Erwin Rommel in North Africa during World War II.
