Writer/director Burr Steers is set to helm “Emperor: Young Caesar” according to Deadline New York, an adaptation of the first two books in the “Emperor” series by Brit author Conn Iggulden. The story will follow Caesar’s early years and relationship with adopted brother Marcus, ending with his stint in the military and subsequent rise to power.
The bevy of producers behind the project most notably includes Giaani Nunnari and Mark Canton, who also brought us “300” — suggesting that this material will be a bit of a departure for Steers, who was behind 2002’s “Igby Goes Down” and lately the more family-friendly fare “17 Again” and upcoming melodrama “Charlie St. Cloud.” Now heading into the historical fan fic territory, we can expect sandals and swords, but with no small amount of the angsty stares and coming-of-age experiences that seem to be a real hallmark for the director.
No word yet on details such as shooting dates or even a completed script, but this writer holds out hope that Steers, who both wrote and directed the darkly funny ‘Igby’ can bring something interesting to this tale… or at the very least Zac Ephron (who starred in his last two films) with some gloriously CGI-ed abs.
