STEVEN SODERBERGH - ZETA JONES 'TO PLAY CLEOPATRA' IN 3D MUSICAL

ZETA JONES 'TO PLAY CLEOPATRA' IN 3D MUSICAL

Steven Soderbergh's is planning a 3D live-action musical about Cleopatra starring Catherine Zeta Jones, reports claim.

According to Variety, the Ocean's Eleven director hopes to pair the Welsh actress with Hugh Jackman in Cleo, a $30 million rock 'n' roll musical.

Jackman would play the Egyptian queen's Roman lover Marc Anthony, a part immortalised by Richard Burton, in the ambitious project, scripted by James Greer, an author and ex-bass player for Guided by Voices.

Greer's former band have also penned the music for Soderbergh's planned picture, which is likely to be years from completion given the director's hectic upcoming schedule.

Che, his four-hour biopic of the Argentinean revolutionary, premieres at the Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival on Saturday, while he only recently completed production on The Informant, starring Matt Damon.

Damon is also in talks to star as Liberace's lover Scott Thorson in Soderbergh's forthcoming biopic featuring Michael Douglas as the flamboyant entertainer.

The Basic Instinct star, who worked with Soderbergh in Traffic, is to play the late pianist from a script penned by PS I Love You writer Richard LaGravanese.

However, The Girlfriend Experience, a low-budget effort which will be simultaneously released in cinemas and on DVD and cable, will be Soderbergh's next directorial effort.