Terrence Malick Reportedly Shooting Next Movie, ‘The Last Planet,’ About The Life Of Christ

“Terrence Malick wrote me a letter when he saw [‘Silence’], and he said, ‘What does Christ want from us?’,” Martin Scorsese revealed during the Tribeca Film Festival. The question of grace, life, spirituality, creation, the meaning of life and all of our big questions about the universe have consumed Malick’s entire career, but especially in its second half kicking off with “The Tree Of Life.” Now, Malick is reportedly taking the question posed to Scorsese and kicking into high gear with a movie allegedly about the life of Jesus Christ.

Corriere Citta and various Italian publications (via The Film Stage), are reporting that Malick has begun production on a new film purportedly called “The Last Planet” near Anzio, south of Rome, notably in the nature reserve of Tor Caldara.

Here’s an inexact Google translation that gets the point across, including a welcome note from the mayor of Anzio where the movie is shooting.

The film, with a historical and religious theme, narrates various passages in the life of Christ, with the representation of evangelical parables, some of which will be filmed, in mid-June, in the Tor Caldara Nature Reserve location, and on the adjacent, adjoining beach.

“The City of Anzio – says the Mayor, Candido De Angelis – is honored to have been chosen by a director and contemporary artist of the international depth of Terrence Malick.”

The movie has apparently already been underway for a few weeks now, but no news of casting has surfaced. Malick recently debuted his latest film, “A Hidden Life,” about a famous Austrian conscience objector in the middle of WWII, at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews (including ours). While three hours in length, many critics, a little frustrated with his meandering last few films, called the movie a major return to form. Fox Searchlight acquired the rights of the film for a reported $14 million, and are presumably setting it for an awards season debut later this fall. More details when they surface.