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Patty Jenkins breaks down her approach to 'Cleopatra'

Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra (Credit: 20th Century Fox)
Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. (20th Century Fox)

Patty Jenkins has opened up about her upcoming Cleopatra film, which will see her reunite with Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot.

The ancient Egyptian ruler’s life has been made into numerous films over the years, but the most famous is undoubtedly the 1963 epic Cleopatra, which starred Elizabeth Taylor as the titular character, Richard Burton as Mark Antony and Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar.

Read More: Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins reunite for Cleopatra at Paramount after intense auction

Jenkins wouldn’t go into too much detail about what we can expect her Cleopatra to entail, but did tease that it will cover similar themes to her past films, which include the 2003 Oscar-winning crime biopic Monster, Wonder Woman and its recently released sequel Wonder Woman 1984.

Watch: Gal Gadot defends her Cleopatra casting

"I think I actually have a history of looking at complicated characters,” Jenkins told Collider, and said she found looking at a story from “that person’s point of view” much more interesting “in a different way”.

She added: “So applying that same approach to one of the most famous women in history, Cleopatra, the truth is, the only story that we know of her was told by the Romans who killed her and hated her.

“And so once we really start looking at what does exist elsewhere about Cleopatra, you see a pretty bad-a**, incredible leader. One of the great leaders in Egypt.”

23rd Critics’ Choice Awards – Show – Santa Monica, California, U.S., 11/01/2018 – Director Patty Jenkins and actress Gal Gadot (L) of "Wonder Woman" accept the award for Best Action Movie. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman accept the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Action Movie in 2018. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)

Jenkins teased that she wants to get down into the “nitty gritty details” of Cleopatra’s “incredible story,” because she insists that you can understand it in a completely different way “if you change things just a little bit.”

Read More: Gal Gadot defends her casting as Cleopatra in upcoming Patty Jenkins biopic

“I just think it's a story that she deserves to have told one day beautifully.”

While we wait for Jenkins and Gadot, who the director insists will make a great Cleopatra, to start work on the hugely anticipated historical drama, audiences can check out Wonder Woman 1984 in UK cinemas.