Will Smith is known as something of a box office god, but he's about to become an ancient Egyptian god as well, having just worked out the details to star in The Last Pharaoh, a Columbia drama in which Smith will play Taharqa, the pharaoh noted for fighting against Assyrian invaders in ancient Egypt. Smith will also produce the film, for his own production company, Overbrook Entertainment. James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz will also produce. It was Smith's idea to bring on Randall Wallace, who wrote Braveheart, to pen the script. The film will mostly feature Taharqa's battles with Assyrian leader Esarhaddon starting in 677 B.C.
Smith is currently putting the finishing touches on Seven Pounds, with Rosario Dawson and Woody Harrelson. That's coming from the same team that worked on Pursuit of Happyness. Smith is in preproduction on The Trial of the Chicago 7, to be directed by Paul Greengrass and written by Aaron Sorkin.