Berg to Labor On Hercules

Never get in a fight with a man wearing  a lion on his head.

Variety reports that Peter Berg is moving from the 21st century superhero trials of Will Smith to the classical era superhero trials of Hercules in Hercules: The Thracian Wars. The film will be based on Steve Moore’s comic book series from Radical Publishing (as I’m sure you remember, Radical also recently announced a deal for John Woo to direct their property Caliber…oh, and yes, this is counting as comic book adaptation of the week #2). Ryan Condal is writing the script.

After the solid, but not jaw-dropping success of Hancock, Berg is settling into Mr. Dependable status in the big action and/or sci-fi film department. He’s also booked to do a new adaptation of Dune. I’m guessing it’ll be a long time before we see him in front of the camera again–which is kind of a shame because he wasn’t too shabby as an actor.

 As usual, there are 10,000 people producing the film, including: Spyglass Entertainment’s Jonathan Glickman, Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber will produce with Berg and his Film 44 partner Sarah Aubrey, with Barry Levine producing for Radical. Jesse Berger will exec produce.

Supposedly Berg, Aubrey and Glickman wanted to make a film “true to the comic book,” leading Levine to make this statement:

“What resonated for them was that this was character driven, about a character who’s more man than god, with conflicts and redemption.”

Hercules (or Herakles), as I’m sure you remember from your sixth grade social studies class, is most famous for two things–one is searching for the Golden Fleece with Jason and the Argonauts. The other is the Twelve Labors, which he was ordered to do to atone for the crime of killing his children. Here they are, just for your own edification (because I’m not sure you were paying attention in sixth grade social studies):

1. To kill the Nemean Lion.
2. To destroy the Lernaean Hydra.
3. To capture the Ceryneian Hind.
4. To capture the Erymanthian Boar.
5. To clean the Augean Stables.
6. To kill the Stymphalian Birds.
7. To capture the Cretan Bull.
8. To round up the Mares of Diomedes.
9. To steal the Girdle of Hippolyte.
10. To herd the Cattle of Geryon.
11. To fetch the Apples of Hesperides.
12. To capture Cerberus. 

Got that? Quiz later.