Actors don’t come as talented or respected as Djimon Hounsou. The thesp has come a long way from popping up in Paula Abdul‘s “Straight Up” video, breaking out in Jim Sheridan‘s “In America,” and lining up a diverse array of projects from blockbusters like “The Island” and “Constantine” to more dramatic fare like “Blood Diamond” and “The Tempest” and in the process, he’s snagged himself two Academy Award nominations. While his most recent efforts seem to be in dodgy looking international pics like “White Elephant” and “Special Forces,” the actor is ready to take on a pretty intriguing role in what is set to be a pretty ambitious literary adaptation.
Joining Bradley Cooper and Benjamin Walker, Hounsou is headed to “Paradise Lost,” taking the role of Abdiel, the angel of death. The big-budget, special effects driven tentpole flick, will bring to life Milton’s masterpiece on the big screen, focusing on the epic battle between Michael (Walker) and Lucifer (Cooper). For those of you who missed English lit class (or don’t feel like hitting Wikipedia), Abdiel rejects Satan and goes to inform God of Lucifer’s defection only to find that the man in white is already prepping to get biblical. Abdiel takes part in the massive battle and slays quite a few notable folks along the way.
The massive production will take place in Australia and the extensive digital effects will mean the film will spend twenty weeks in pre-production, eight weeks in principal photography and will have 72 weeks of post-production. So no surprise, this m-cap film won’t be hitting theaters until late 2013. “The Crow” and “Dark City” helmer Alex Proyas is behind the wheel, and Warner Bros. will release the film at as yet unspecified date. Hounsou’s addition to the picture was first reported Monday by the Variety blog Showblitz.