Steven Spielberg Inching Closer to Helm Moses Epic

Certain filmmakers (whether or not they proclaim to the top of mountain ahead of time) will simply up and retire from making movies. But others like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg have directorial skills so deep within the fabric of their DNA I can't imagine them ever stopping. On the (inevitable) days of their passing, we'll read in their obituaries something to the effect of, "As they were in the midst of preparing their latest film..."

In the case of Spielberg, his filmography goes in spurts. A couple of years, we won't see anything from the man outside of Executive Producer credits on miscellaneous popcorn fluff from Amblin or DreamWorks productions or as the case of last year, suddenly he's unstoppable working behind the camera. This past Christmas, movie-goers were given two very different pictures under the Beard's direction, The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse, he just wrapped filming on Lincoln for release this Christmas and he's preparing another sci-fi spectacle the ill-titled Robopocalypse. And don't think he hasn't planned ahead past that either.

While not a done deal, Spielberg is coming close to signing a deal with Warner Brothers to direct Gods & Kings, reports "TOLDJA." The epic retelling of Moses is envisioned as less Ten Commandments, more Saving Private Ryan. Certainly a different take of the story as seen in years' past and an interesting film for Spielberg to partake in. He's said in various interviews how marriage and the birth of his children helped affirm his Jewish faith. Thus resulting in the confidence and maturity for him to be able to make films like Schindler's List and the underrated (and lest I not forget to add, brilliant) Munich.

The younger Spielberg may have handled this material more as a spectacle, a direction Cecil B. DeMille took with The Ten Commandments. But I'd like to see what the older, veteran Spielberg will do with this.