Gal Gadot's 'Cleopatra' finds new director in Kari Skogland

Patty Jenkins is handing over the directing duties for 'Cleopatra', a historical drama featuring Gal Gadot as the legendary queen of Egypt, to Kari Skogland.

As per Variety, Jenkins isn't departing the project entirely. She will remain involved in a producing role as she pivots attention to her next two projects, 'Wonder Woman 3' for Warner Bros. and 'Star Wars: Rogue Squadron' for Disney and Lucasfilm.

Paramount Pictures is backing 'Cleopatra', which remains in the development stages at the studio.

Laeta Kalogridis will write the screenplay, in addition to serving as an executive producer. Plot details on the movie, centring on the woman who courted Julius Caesar and Marc Antony and served as the last ruler of Egypt's Ptolemaic Kingdom, have not been revealed.

Cleopatra has been a frequent subject of Hollywood films, having been portrayed by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor in 1963 and Claudette Colbert in 1934.

Along with Jenkins, producers include Gadot, Chuck Roven and Jaron Varsano.

Skogland first came to attention with independent films such as 'The Size of Watermelons' and 'Men With Guns', and went on to direct the 2008 crime thriller 'Fifty Dead Men Walking', 2007's drama 'The Stone Angel' starring Ellen Burstyn, and 2002's revenge chiller 'Liberty Stands Still' with Wesley Snipes.

Since then she has become a prominent television director of series including 'The Handmaid's Tale', 'The Punisher', 'The Walking Dead', 'The Americans' and 'House of Cards'.

( With inputs from ANI )

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