Matrix producer plans Muhammad biopic
Barrie Osborne, part of the Oscar-winning team behind the Lord of the Rings films, says the new production 'will educate people about the true meaning of Islam'
Producer Barrie Osborne cast Keanu Reeves as the messiah in The Matrix and helped defeat the dark lord Sauron in his record-breaking Lord of the Rings trilogy. Now the Oscar-winning American film-maker is set to embark on his most perilous quest to date: making a big-screen biopic of the prophet Muhammad.
Budgeted at around $150m (£91.5m), the film will chart Muhammad's life and examine his teachings. Osborne told Reuters that he envisages it as "an international epic production aimed at bridging cultures. The film will educate people about the true meaning of Islam".
Osborne's production will reportedly feature English-speaking Muslim actors. It is backed by the Qatar-based production company Alnoor Holdings, who have installed the Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi to oversee all aspects of the shoot. In accordance with Islamic law, the prophet will not actually be depicted on screen.
"The film will shed light on the Prophet's life since before his birth to his death," Ahmed Abdullah Al-Mustafa, Alnoor's chairman, told al-Jazeera. "It will highlight the humanity of Prophet Muhammad."
The as-yet-untitled picture is due to go before the cameras in 2011. It remains to be seen, however, whether it will be beaten to cinemas by another Muhammad-themed drama. Late last year, producer Oscar Zoghbi announced plans to remake The Message, his controversial 1976 drama that sparked a fatal siege by protesters in Washington DC. The new version, entitled The Messenger of Peace, is currently still in development.
7 comments:
Osborne is probably ONLY doing this for the money. Makes me sick. If he is a Muslim himself, then I have more respect for this decision. But, I think it is likely this is just a way for the guy to get his hands on a $150 million budget, and a possible worldwide hit.
I'm quite sure this money is coming from Muslim investors.
Ah, there are upsides to this project. For instance, the producers are taking on the costs of production and security. They bear the costs - their headache (while and if they can keep their heads firmly attached) - fine.
Marketing for this project will bring this subject to the forefront. Again, THEIR DIME/OUR TIME refuting with facts - can't complain about that either.
This can get very interesting as we have the advantage with history revealing the facts not likely to be revealed in this film.
If they make this film - good for us - growing numbers have been opening their eyes to the doctrine's written texts SINCE 9/11- we're ready, let's talk.
Anonymous,
I think you're right, but let's face it, this movie is just going to be propaganda.
The good thing is, the gulf between the propaganda and the reality of Islam produces such cognitive dissonance that being reminded of it repeatedly is only a good thing, as you say.
Pastorius,
I have no idea why Osborne is doing this, but you don't have to go see it.
I saw a DVD of cartoon on Muhammad being sold at a book store. It didn't make me feel good, to say the least, since I know the kind person the film's protagonist really was in real life. As for the cartoon itself, it looked like it was done by the same people who did the The Prince of Egypt. I remember the artwork on the DVD box looking rather similar to the artwork from the Prince of Egypt.
Strangely enough, there was a controversy in some Islamic countries over the Prince of Egypt. At least one of them we have talk about repeatedly here at the Infidel Bloggers Alliance. According to Wikipedia,
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The Maldives was the first of two Muslim countries to ban the film. The country's Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs stated, "all prophets and messengers of God are revered in Islam, and therefore cannot be portrayed". Following this ruling, the censor board banned the film in January 1999. In the same month, the Film Censorship Board in Malaysia banned the film, but did not provide a specific explanation. The board's secretary said that the censor body ruled the film was "insensitive for religious and moral reasons". However, the film is now openly available on DVD in retail stores in both countries.
The film was banned in Egypt, a predominantly Muslim country, as the depiction of Islamic prophets (of which Moses is one) is forbidden in Islam.There was also discontent concerning the reference to Rameses (or Ramses in Egypt) as the Pharaoh of the Exodus. Rameses II is highly regarded in Egypt, and the historical consensus is that he was deceased prior to the events of the Hebrew enslavement and Exodus.
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So ironically the Mohammad cartoon and this film which will portray the "prophet" glowingly and ignore all of his atrocities, probably won't even be shown in many Muslim countries.
Damien,
Of course I don't have to go see it. And, you can bet I won't.
That doesn't mean I can't be bothered by the fact that this Osborne character has decided to disseminate Islamist propaganda for no good reason.
Pastorius,
I agree with you. We have no disagreement here.
Gee, who do you think the bad guys will be?
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