Proyas Replaces Director on Banderas' Cortés Epic

Alex Proyas, the visionary director behind 'I, Robot' and 'Dark City,' has taken over directing duties for the historical epic 'Cortés.' The film stars Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas as the famed Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Production commenced a few weeks ago in Paris and Spain, with Proyas stepping in for Paul Mignot, who remains with the project in another capacity.

The AI-enabled film is penned by Oscar nominee Nicholas Kazan and produced by Marco Weber, with co-financing from Utopai Studios and Ex Machina Studios. This project marks Proyas's most significant directorial undertaking since the 2016 action film 'Gods of Egypt.'

Set in 1519, 'Cortés' chronicles the conquistador's journey from Cuba to the Yucatán and into Mexico. Central to the narrative is Marina, an enslaved Indigenous woman and gifted linguist who becomes crucial to Cortés's advance. The story explores Cortés's transformation from a glory-seeking soldier to a self-anointed leader, viewed through Marina's experiences.

Proyas expressed his enthusiasm, calling 'Cortés' "one of cinema's great untold stories" of ambition, conquest, and betrayal. He highlighted the script's scale and intimacy, focusing on Cortés's contradictory nature and Marina's pivotal role. The film's ambition is facilitated by new cinematic storytelling possibilities, enabling a grand visual realization.