Fresh off delving into Biblical Egypt with the upcoming Christian Bale epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” it seems Ridley Scott isn’t satisfied with leaving the location quite yet. The history of ancient Egypt is rife with mythology, mystery, and ingenious methods, but forget day-laborers, slipways, and chisels—when it comes to delving into the creation of the country, Scott has extraterrestrial help on his mind instead.
Deadline reports Scott has attached himself to direct and executive produce “Pharaoh” for HBO, a new hour-long series that seeks to provide an “alternate explanation for the foundation and ascent of the ancient Egyptian empire”— meaning, all the alien help they received in order to thrive. Penning the project is writer David Schulner, who was last seen as creator, executive producer and showrunner of NBC’s “Do No Harm,” a modern take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that was cancelled after just two episodes.
Scott’s run on HBO will battle a similar show from Fox entitled “Hieroglyph,” although the “Prometheus” director will certainly have a leg up in terms of charting the lascivious and brutal details of ancient Egypt’s day-to-day. Also, aside from so many queries regarding its loopy storyline, the other question surrounding the show is when it will hit TV screens, especially with “Prometheus 2” requiring its own alien-centric care. That film is supposed to go into production this fall, but we’ll see where things land as Scott cements his always-busy schedule.