The Ten Commandments (ABC) Come Forth Once Again in Mini-Series Form

ABC is set to begin production on a mega-budget mini-series version of The Ten Commandments.

From Reuters:

An international cast led by Scottish actor Dougray Scott, Egyptian veteran Omar Sharif and "Lost" co-star Naveen Andrews has signed up for "The Ten Commandments," ABC's ambitious miniseries about Moses.

Production is slated to begin May 23 in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The premiere of the two-part, four-hour epic is targeted for next season. The budget is estimated at more than $20 million.

ABC, on the rise because of breakout hits Desperate Housewives and Lost, is sure to be looking for ratings gold with a new look at a biblical epic.

It’s a smart move to pair veteran actors such as Sharif with up-and-coming stars such as Naveen Andrews. Andrews has been nothing short of spectacular as plane crash survivor Sayid on Lost this season, and I’m thrilled to see him getting further opportunities to shine.

Oscar-nominated Sharif, no stranger to period epics, having starred in features like "Lawrence of Arabia," is on board to play Jethro. Andrews will portray Menerith, English actor Linus Roache ("The Chronicles of Riddick") will play Aaron, while Argentina's Mia Maestro ("Alias") is set as Zipporah.

When I was a kid during the 80s, it seemed a sure bet that every Easter / Passover season, the original 1956 version of The Ten Commandments would be televised. It was a tradition of sorts in my family to at least watch some of it, falling in line with other rituals like watching the yearly Jerry Lewis telethon and the U.S. Open.

I’m sure it will be difficult for many people to believe in a Moses not played by Charlton Heston and a Rameses not portrayed by the great Yul Brenner. Dougray Scott is slated to portray Moses in the new production.

Mia Maestro, who plays Nadia Santos on ABC's Alias, will take the role of Zipporah.

The Ten Commandments was such an institution, once upon a time, that everyone knew what Billy Crystal was talking about when he would imitate Edward G. Robinson as Dathan, doing a gangster take on, “Where’s your Moses now, see?”

It will be interesting to see how the new version turns out.

Will we get the Disney version, or something closer to The Passion of the Christ?

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Article Author: Eric Berlin

Eric Berlin is the publisher of Online Media Cultist. He's also prone to referring to himself in the third person in author bios in an attempt to make it look like someone Less Important wrote it for him.
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