Could the Biblical Epic be returning?

[DE LA LUNA]

Within the next few years, the bible could be back on screen! I know that there's a similar thread to this, but that one has been worn out. This thread will focus on the up coming biblical epics, as well as suggestions for who could continue adapting biblical stories to theaters.

1.NOAH (2014?)
Director - Darren Aronofsky [Black Swan, The Fountain, etc. . .]
Starring - Russell Crowe, Emma Watson

Personally I think this would be very interesting if done correctly. The Holy Bible does not have enough information to provide a screenplay. However if they think of this as a historical piece and focus on creating a story based in Noah's world then they will not have to worry about adding or subtracting facts from the Bible.


2. Gods and Kings (???) Warner Bros.
Director - Steven Spielberg

A film based on the story of Moses leading the Hebrews to freedom. Apparently, it's going to be like Braveheart or Saving Private Ryan. Sounds interesting as well. As long as the story is accurate and faithful to the biblical texts and any new historical discoveries about that time-period.


If these two films can be successful, then maybe we will finally be getting more exciting stories such as King David, Samson, the Prophets (Daniel, Jonah?), etc. . .

 

[Majik1387]

Well fairytales are big right now, and what better collections of fairytales to draw inspiration from.

 

[TheOnlyOmega]

Eventually they're just going to make The Bible: The Movie

 

[Ultimatehero]

Hand 'The Book of Revelations' to a masterful director with knows how to use surreal imagery and that would seriously be an amazing apocalyptic tale.

 

[Hurm...]

May want to add to that list another Moses flick that Ridley Scott is planning.

And of course people have to start off the thread on an unclassy note.

 

[TheOnlyOmega]

The Old Testament has some crazy **** in it, would probably translate to film pretty well.

 

[DE LA LUNA]

Hand 'The Book of Revelations' to a masterful director with knows how to use surreal imagery and that would seriously be an amazing apocalyptic tale.

I agree! However, the difficulty with the book of Revelation is keeping the story straight. The book of Revelation is 3 genres in one book! It's an epistle (letter from an apostle to a church), apocalypse, and prophecy.

The flaw with many movie adaption the bible is that they miss the point of the story and make lackluster films. Film makers should really consult with knowledgeable theologians that know the historical significance of the text to put out a great movie.

May want to add to that list another Moses flick that Ridley Scott is planning.

And of course people have to start off the thread on an unclassy note.

Yeah I heard of Ridley Scott's Moses as well. We'll see which turns out best. However I'd prefer one of them work on another biblical film instead. . .

And Majik, I hope we can have a good conversation on here, but if you believe the bible is merely a fairy tale, then why waste your time?

The Old Testament has some crazy **** in it, would probably translate to film pretty well.

I really hope that the films don't downplay the action! I've seen many low-budget biblical films and I've tolerated them because I'm Christian, but it's about time someone shows how much skill Joshua, Samson, and David had as warriors.

 

[Majik1387]

And Majik, I hope we can have a good conversation on here, but if you believe the bible is merely a fairy tale, then why waste your time?

Because I enjoy fairy tales. And biblical stories have been part of many horror movies I enjoy. Mythologies are entertaining.

And my comment was no more offensive than smartass comments from posters regarding other upcoming movies and actors.

 

[DE LA LUNA]

Because I enjoy fairy tales. And biblical stories have been part of many horror movies I enjoy. Mythologies are entertaining.

And my comment was no more offensive than smartass comments from posters regarding other upcoming movies and actors.

Fine, I'm very sorry for misreading your comment. But please elaborate which passages would you like to see adapted?

However, realize that reducing the bible to just fairy tales is insulting. Despite all the little fights that occur in these threads, I doubt you would purposely want to offend anyone. I have my beliefs about God and evidence for those beliefs, but any further discussion on the existence of God is for another thread.

Let's stay on topic. Peace.

 

[Majik1387]

Fine, I'm very sorry for misreading your comment. But please elaborate which passages would you like to see adapted?

Honestly, I wanna see a movie regarding the Rapture. Not only because of it being proved wrong last year, but because it sounds the most interesting to transcend to the silver screen; just people disappearing all over before an apocalyptic year begins.

However, realize that reducing the bible to just fairy tales is insulting. Despite all the little fights that occur in these threads, I doubt you would purposely want to offend anyone. I have my beliefs about God and evidence for those beliefs, but any further discussion on the existence of God is for another thread.

Let's stay on topic. Peace.

All I'll say is that many mythologies have been treated as religion, Christianity included.

 

[8wid]

The Bible is literary mythology regardless of giving it a nonsecular context or not. Making the stories of The Old Testament into action movies with warring nations and special effects could make it like Wrath of the Titans or 300. Mythology can be fun to explore, but making movies out of the Bible with modern effects like CGI is increasingly likely to only mislead people into believing that religion is true, to me it's all a big bag of Miracle Grow, pun intended.

An epic could tell the whole story. It would be fun to see stories done other than Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, Jesus, The Ten Commandments, Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors, etc that Christian production teams pick and choose for family themes and to teach the core message of the religion in a non-confrontational way.

Movies like Susanna and the Suitors or Judith cutting the head off of Holofernes would make it more interesting. I would like women of the Old Testament to have more of a role in modern movies rather than male protagonists.

Besides something original other than retelling the same ole same ole family films even like this one is just an interesting new take on the stories for the mature and modern discussion.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Just to be the 'mediator' between De La Luna & Majik

Some stories in the bible may have been inspired, or perhaps even slightly more based on historical truth, but a large part of it is still mythological. Having studied world religions, and certain passages from the bible having attended private school and managed a virtual series based on it, it's basically grander stories with morality. Note, this is not saying that everything inside the bible is 'just a story' - but one would similarly be remiss to say the bible is 100% true as well. Even in private schools, we're taught that some of the passages were basically just designed to send home a point.

One of the most shocking things learned:

Spoiler

We don't know when Jesus was born or when he raised from the dead.



Anyone knowing actual scripture beyond what the church says now along with the holidays would know we don't know the exact dates from when those events occurred. Not that they didn't happen. Just that we don't know when. The dates we celebrate were originally taken from pagan holidays to compel conversion. Basically showing how slight details change with the passage of time.

Similarly, forgot which ones, some of the stories in the bible are shared almost verbatim in texts by other religions. We're all alike more than we are different. Some of that may come from the original source being the same while other aspects may come with religions inevitably coming together over time.

Basically just posting this to say - bible: 100% mythological or 100% reality? Both concepts aren't grasping the importance of time, interconnectivity across religions, the original source, and that in the end the writers cared more about preaching than teaching history.

 

[DE LA LUNA]

Movies like Susanna and the Suitors or Judith cutting the head off of Holofernes would make it more interesting. I would like women of the Old Testament to have more of a role in modern movies rather than male protagonists.

A film on Judith would be interesting, I've never read it, but I am quite familiar with it. Actually, I would also love a film on the Maccabean Revolt. Very interesting, because some Jews believed Judah Maccabee was going to be the Messiah.

In the end the writers cared more about preaching than teaching history.

This is very true. However the Bible is inerrant and true. There maybe times that the authors use literary devices such as hyperbole, parables, etc. . . That does not mean that they did not experience what they could not describe.

 

[8wid]

Scaring people to belief in religion more with certain movies of judgement and hellfire to the gullible may also cause them to buy more DVDs of its and send it around to the friends and relatives to be saved. It's a good business venture no matter who does it, a Christian production company or not.

 

[Ultimatehero]

This is very true. However the Bible is inerrant and true. There maybe times that the authors use literary devices such as hyperbole, parables, etc. . . That does not mean that they did not experience what they could not describe.

Some of the things, yes. Other things - more to teach a point. Unless you believe the same God who says show kindness towards your neighbor also lures kids into the woods on Sundays to stone old men carrying logs to death on the sabbath day. I personally don't and find that a discrepancy, one of many. To me, the bible is - I'd say more 50/50 accuracy - due to it being passed down through the years, merging of religions and religious ideas/beliefs, and numerous writers. It's neither myth nor a history book, it's people working with the best they have and the inevitable effect of time. Christmas and Easer being key examples of how drastic things can change in beliefs and aspects not originally involved coming into play years after the fact.

If curious, from what I learned in a Catholic high school (academia religious classes concerning catholicism and world religions), it's that the truth is somewhere in between. All religions have the same stories at their core and same beliefs although stated under different names, which for me, shows evidence enough that a greater power does in-fact exist. However, alongside that the knowledge of how and why religious texts who changed and altered or even lost in some cases; which also tells me there is no one 'pure' religion and rather the truth (of all of them) is somewhere in the middle. So do I believe it's historical fact? Yes, to a certain extent. Do I believe it's 'mythological'? Yes, to a certain extent due to the passage of time. The truth is rather somewhere in the middle.

 

[MadVillainy]

I'll say the biblical epic is returning and I like that it is. Noah and Moses are great so I'm really looking forward to those two.
I wish Paradise Lost was still happening though.

The next one I really wanna see is something involving King David. Although the last I heard about a project involving him it was gonna star Taylor Lautner

 

[8wid]

God coming the form of a man and saying love your neighbor while also being okay with committing mass genocide of neighboring tribes and killing those that don't do what he says as punishment should prove immediately the Bible has flaws and contradictions. I would only do it for the sake of education or mythology.

Since we can go for any Bible story we want and I'm tired of all the family friendly or children's versions of stories being done on the big screen, it's only fair to adapt these ones to stop Christians from cherry picking what they want to read.

Top 10 Bizarre Bible Stories

From this list I want Elijah, Onan, and Balaam because it could deal with animal rights and the Bible.

 

[MadVillainy]

This couldve been a really interesting thread discussing which Biblical stories they wanted to see adapted if people didnt use it to argue religion

 

[obin_gam]

I for one want to see a David v. Goliath movie!

 

[DE LA LUNA]

I'll say the biblical epic is returning and I like that it is. Noah and Moses are great so I'm really looking forward to those two.
I wish Paradise Lost was still happening though.

The next one I really wanna see is something involving King David. Although the last I heard about a project involving him it was gonna star Taylor Lautner

Paradise Lost would have been a fun to see! I've always wanted to see what Eden could look like on screen with effects available today.

And in my opinion, a King David movie is long over-due. The one with Richard Gere was a bore. . . Something they should keep in mind is to keep them rather short.

I've notice that when they make movies about Abraham, Moses, David they include every single detail from the Bible into the movie. They should focus on the point and include only the important stuff.

They should also avoid adding unnecessary stuff to the shorter stories. Some of the biblical passages are short enough to adapt the whole story to the film. Once I saw three-hour Samson film, in my opinion it should be between 90min-120min.

 

[8wid]

Well I am for a more realistic version of Noah's Ark where a wine farmer in what is today hears God tell him to get his family and livestock ready for a giant flood that is going to wipe out the town near him. He takes down his house and makes it a raft with two of all the livestock he can carry to live off of and endures the storm. He then gets drunk in his new vineyard after to celebrate his survival as the story is supposed to go.

 

[Visiting Arkham]

I get the impression Aronofsky's Noah is a Mad Max meets Conan the Barbarian treatment of the character. So probably not in line with The Ten Commandments or Ben Hur.

 

[Nightmare]

This couldve been a really interesting thread discussing which Biblical stories they wanted to see adapted if people didnt use it to argue religion

My thoughts exactly. I understand how some people feel, but this thread wasn't about arguing whether you believe in God or not.

David Vs Goliath, The Resurrection, The Rapture, Samson, Moses and the 10 commandments would be amazing on teh big screen. I would really really look forward to those movies if done right.

 

[DaveMoral]

I'd like to see Muslim film makers tackle some of these stories in a more Hollywood kind of way. Not that they aren't already being done largely in Iran though.

Just off the top of my head Iran has turned out:
Kingdom of Solomon
Joseph(Yusuf)
Saint Mary(Maryam al-Muqaddasah)
Jesus, Spirit of God
Abraham(Ibrahim)

All made in the last decade, and all of them look like they were made in the 50s-70s. There have been rumors going around about a remake of The Message(Muhammad, Messenger of God) from the 70s. Which I would like to see.

I'd love to see Biblically based films too, though, honestly. Though I haven't seen the Passion of the Christ, that's mostly because I'm not keen on watching 2 hours of something that I don't believe actually happened.

Now that we are passed that. It's funny to me how people on both sides are allowing "myth" to mean something it doesn't mean, i.e. "false tale." Myth simply means story and it is used largely for religious stories. The historicity of mythology is basically incidental, as the whole point is harken to a higher truth that goes beyond the temporal and the material. Believers shouldn't let the usage of myth or mythology vex them when used regarding the Bible. Even if you believe the Bible to be 100% accurately historical on the temporal level, that's not really the point of the Bible. The mythic aspect is the actual point, and the core reality holds true regardless of the historicity of the document. It's important for you to know that and to rob unbelievers of a barb that they like to, erroneously, use against your faith's founding document.

*EDIT* If you can find a translation online, or if you can read/speak French, get the comic Noah by Aronofsky. It's pretty cool and will make a great movie if it's being made. Seriously. Cool stuff.

 

[Airwings]

David vs Goliath.
David wasn't a short guy, he was a warrior in the veins of Hector from the film Troy. Goliath wasn't just a tall man, he was, in fact, a giant.
That's how I see the story.
The bible mentions giants briefly in the beginning of the book, and I'm sure David vs Goliath explore the Giant matter more deeply