POLANSKI ERUPTS ONTO POMPEII MOVIE

Legendary movie director ROMAN POLANSKI is to direct a multi-million pound production of POMPEII, focusing on the last few days of the Roman town before Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.

According to Empire magazine, THE PIANIST director's next film is to be based on ROBERT HARRIS' best-selling novel POMPEII, which centres on a Roman engineer caught up in the legendary tale of the doomed town.

Harris is also reportedly penning the script for the thriller, which includes romance, political intrigue and plenty of action both before and during the volcano eruption which utterly destroyed the town.

The film is expected to cost around $130 million (£66 million), making it the most expensive project Polanski has worked on – and although no big-name actors have been announced yet, it seems likely that the attraction of working on such a large project with an acclaimed director will mean an impressive cast list will be assembled in time.

"I got seduced by the writing," Polanski told Daily Variety. "In general terms, when someone tells me to make a movie set in ancient times, I say it's not my cup of tea. But I liked that it was a thriller and I have read all of his books and there is such minute detail. He goes very far into the research."

Filming is due to start in Italy in the summer.