HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON HISTORY CHANNEL'S LAVISH NEW HISTORICAL MINI SERIES "THE BIBLE" AIRING THIS MARCH IN TEN EPISODES

Well, people, it seems History Channel is trying to get into some serious game with their productions of scripted series beside their well known documentary shows. With their gala premiere of epic show VIKINGS this Sunday, they are also launching their historical saga THE BIBLE which will air throughout March in five two hour episodes. Shot in Morocco and numerous other locations around the world the historical series also used researchers, academic consultants and theologians in order to verify accuracy of the stories that will be told within the episodes.

THE BIBLE STORY

Television’s highly acclaimed producer, Mark Burnett ("The Voice", "Survivor", "The Apprentice"), and his wife, Roma Downey ("Touched by An Angel") are bringing the most widely-read book of all time to life on the screen, with breathtaking beauty and the use of dramatic live action and cutting-edge CGI technology. The series will cover "Genesis to Revelation" within five two-hour parts, each containing two or three biblical stories told through live action and computer generated imagery. The stories told will include Noah's Ark, the Exodus, and the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Five

episodes will be based on the Old Testament and the other five on the New Testament. THE BIBLE spans hundreds of years of biblical history, beginning with the sacrifice of Isaac and ending with the meeting between Pontius Pilate and Jesus and Ananias's baptism of St. Paul. In between, viewers will see Samson destroy the pagan Philistine temple, David fight Goliath, the Baptism of Jesus and Christ walking on water, among other scenes. The final episode of the series will air on Easter Sunday and will feature the death and resurrection of Jesus. The producers' goal was to retell the stories in a way which is appealing to the young audience as well.

THE BIBLE CAST

When it comes to the ensemble starring in the epic mini series, the names included are mostly unknown to the wider audience with Roma Downey (from TOUCHED BY ANGEL) playing Mother Mary, one of Portugal's top actors Diogo Morgado is Jesus Christ, Darwin Shaw is Peter, Sebastian Knapp plays John, Amber Rose Revah portrays Mary Magdalene, Greg Hicks will appear as Pilate, Simon Kunz is Nicodemus, Joe Wredden is Judas, Andrew Scarborough is Joshua ... It is also very interesting that the music for THE BIBLE mini series was composed by legendary Oscar winner Hans Zimmer who did music for THE LION KING, GLADIATOR, PEARL HARBOUR, MADAGASCAR....

  OTHER BIBLE PROJECTS 

History Channel's epic series is not the only Biblical project awaiting us ahead. Last year Steven Spielberg has entered negotiations with Warner Brothers to helm GODS AND KINGS, which is being described as a Braveheartish version of the Moses story in which the Jewish leader will be shown as the warrior to beat all warriors. You also know that Darren Aronofsky is finishing the lavish production on his science fiction epic NOAH which will follow the famous Biblical character but in an adventure much darker and more futuristic than in the Bible. The cast includes Anthony Hopkins who will play Methuselah the world's oldest living man, who dies seven days before the great flood that Noah survives with his ark full of animals. Russell Crowe is Noah, Douglas Booth and Logan Lerman are his sons, Jennifer Connelly is Noah's wife, and Ray Winstone is also in the cast.