Alex Proyas ("I, Robot") has been signed to direct Legendary Pictures' upcoming feature "Paradise Lost", adapting the 17th-century (public domain) English poem by John Milton.
Premise of the film, to be developed as an action vehicle, will focus on the 'epic war' in heaven between archangels 'Michael' and 'Lucifer.Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce with Vincent Newman ("A Man Apart").
Screenplay is by Stuart Hazeldine, Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi with polishes by Lawrence Kasdan and Ryan Condal.
Milton's poem, first published in 1667, contained ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse. A second edition followed in 1674, redivided into twelve books, with minor revisions.
The majority of the poem was written while Milton was blind, and was transcribed for him, incorporating Paganism, classical Greek references, and Christianity. Milton dealt in diverse topics including marriage, politics and monarchy, grappling with difficult theological issues, including fate, predestination, the Trinity, the introduction of sin and death into the world, angels, fallen angels and the war in heaven. 
The look of the film will closely emulate the "Paradise Lost" engravings of 19th century French artist Gustave Doré.Click the images to enlarge...
