Antonio Banderas is looking to produce, write, direct and star in a biopic of Boabdil, the last Muslim ruler of Granada, Spain. He is joined in the writing of this picture by Antonio Soler, his co-scribe on the little seen film “Summer Rain,” which he also helmed. Producer-Banderas is giving actor-Banderas the meaty role of General Gonzalo de Cordoba, who captured the kingdom for the Christians. The part of Abu’abd-Allah Muhammad XII (Boabdil’s full name) has not been cast yet.
The film will be shot in English, and is due to be filmed in Andalucia in 2012. Banderas is still looking for financial backing, but will produce the film himself through his Green Moon company.
It sounds fairly interesting, although Banderas never really made much of a splash as a director before this (“Crazy In Albama,” his directorial debut, being the most recognizable picture he’s helmed). If he gets someone exciting to play Boabdil (Said Taghmaoui, maybe?), it might be alright. Still, it sounds like a very hefty picture for someone of Banderas’ relative inexperience to take on.
Besides this, Banderas has finished working on Woody Allen’s aggressively-titled “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” which is set to open this September, and is currently shooting “Knockout” for Steven Soderbergh alongside Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Gina Carano and Matthieu Kassovitz among others. The picture above from the UK Mirror shows Banderas’ beard he’s grown for the film. You can see set photos here. -Caspar Salmon
I'm thrilled to find out that Antonio Banderas will be playing the famous Captain Gonzalo Fernández de Córdova in an upcoming film.
This is was a famous captain who distinguished himself for his military skills and ten years fierce fighting in the Reconquest in Spain.
Lilian Gafni
Author of Flower from Castile Trilogy