Mandalay Pictures has acquired the film rights to Julius, Antony Johnston and Brett Weldele’s modern-day retelling of Julius Caesar.
F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, The Negotiator) will direct.
Released in 2004 by Oni Press, Julius reinvisions Shakespeare’s play as an urban crime drama centering on the charismatic leader of a London gang whose generals conspire against him.
Eric Gitter of Closed on Mondays Entertainment, Oni’s movie-production arm, will produce. Peter Schwerin and Joe Nozemack will executive produce.
Julius is the latest in a string of Oni projects being developed for the big screen: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Resurrection and Resurrection at Universal; Courtney Crumrin and The Damned at DreamWorks; and Maintenance and Billy Smoke at Warner Bros.
