051005HR

May 10, 2005
Hollywood Reporter
ABC puts faith in Scott, Sharif for 'Ten' mini
By Nellie Andreeva

ABC and producer Robert Halmi Sr. have lined up an international cast led by Dougray Scott, Omar Sharif, Naveen Andrews, Mia Maestro and Linus Roache for "The Ten Commandments," a big-budget four-hour miniseries that retells the classic biblical tale of Moses.

Production on the Hallmark Entertainment special effects extravaganza, whose budget is estimated at more than $20 million, is slated to begin May 23 in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The premiere of the two-part epic, written by Ron Hutchinson after months of biblical and historical research, is targeted for next season.

Robert Dornhelm is directing the project, which will present the story of Moses and the Israelites' exodus from Egypt in 13th century B.C. (HR 1/13). Halmi is exec producing.

Scott, who worked with ABC and Halmi on "Arabian Nights," will portray Moses.

Oscar-nominated Sharif, not a stranger to period epics, having starred in features like "Lawrence of Arabia," is on board to play Jethro. "Lost" co-star Andrews will portray Menerith, Roache ("The Chronicles of Riddick") will play Aaron, while Maestro ("Alias") is set as Zipporah.

The tale of Moses begins with a prophecy about a grave danger that will come from a child who will become a prince of Egypt. Despite the pharaoh's orders for the slaughter of all newborn boys, one child, Moses, born of Hebrew slave Amram and his wife, Jochebed, escapes a sure death when he is raised in a royal Egyptian household and rises to the stature of prince. When he discovers his heritage and is inspired by a fiery message from God, Moses implores his stepbrother Menerith, a high official in Ramses' army, to join him in a fight to reclaim his destiny as leader and liberator of the Israelites.

But when Ramses rejects his demands, Moses issues the curse of a coming plague that will soon become a reality with a swarming cloud of locusts, a river transformed into a rushing stream of human blood and a downpour of frogs from the skies.

"The Ten Commandments" follows the dramatic story of Moses from his narrow escape from death as a child to his noble feat of freeing the Israelites to his great miracle of parting of the Red Sea.