8 May 2003
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Baz drops Aussie shoot
AUSTRALIAN film director Baz Luhrmann has changed his mind on his next project, the historical movie, Alexander the Great.
Only two weeks after saying he would shoot the epic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, in Australia, Luhrmann announced he was now planning to film in Morocco.
Producer Dino De Laurentis told Variety newspaper that Luhrmann's six-month shoot would be delayed until next year.
Initial plans called for a Morocco shoot but the production could not get insurance on the star actors if they filmed in Morocco and Jordan.
Fears about the impact of the Iraq war also sparked moves to film the film in Australia instead.
Recently, Luhrmann undertook a reconnaissance of Australian desert locations and decided on making the film here.
But the insurance situation seems to have changed and a Morocco shoot is back on, with the obvious blessing of King Mohammed VI, who will donate his army as extras.
The film, based on Valerio Manfredi's trilogy of novels about the conqueror from ancient Macedonia, did have one win this week.
A rival project by Oliver Stone about the young king that stars Colin Farrell and Anthony Hopkins has dropped "The Great" from its title to become just Alexander.
Production on Stone's movie is due to begin in July. It is expected in cinemas in 2004, possibly 12 months before Luhrmann's version.
There is no doubt Luhrmann and his team need the time to focus on his Alexander.
Among other projects on his drawing board are: a 2005 Broadway run of a musical adaptation of Strictly Ballroom, deciding which Las Vegas casino will get his Moulin Rouge stage musical.
Herald Sun