Soderbergh, Zeta Jones, Jackman do musical 'Cleo' (VAR, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Vialatte

Steven Soderbergh is reportedly gearing up for a 3-D live-action rock ‘n’ roll musical about Cleopatra. The trades today say that the director is looking at Catherine Zeta-Jones to star as the Egyptian queen with Hugh Jackman as her lover Marc Antony.

The $30 million "Cleo" – to be set in the 1920s - will be shopped for financing and distribution within the next two weeks. Greg Jacobs is producing with Casey Silver.

The music has been written by the indie rock band Guided by Voices. The script is by James Greer, a former bass player for the band and an author.

Soderbergh is about to release the Benicio Del Toro starrer "Che" and recently wrapped Matt Damon starrer "The Informant." He is also readying a Liberace film at Warner Bros., with Zeta-Jones’ husband Michael Douglas attached to play the entertainer and Damon to play his companion.

Zeta-Jones and Jackman have both won praise for their song and dance talents – she won an Oscar for her turn in big screen musical "Chicago" and Jackman won a Tony for his turn as Peter Allen in "The Boy from Oz.”

Joseph Mankiewicz directed the legendary 1963 "Cleopatra" that starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It was hugely expensive and considered a flop but ultimately won four Oscars.