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Bloom and Johansson in Talks for Pompeii

ComingSoon.net has learned that Oscar winner Roman Polanski (The Pianist) is in talks with Orlando Bloom ("Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogies) and Scarlett Johansson (The Prestige) to star in his historical tentpole Pompeii.

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Robert Harris (author of "Archangel" and "Fatherland"), Pompeii tells the story of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79 through the eyes of a young engineer, Marcus Attilius Primus, who is sent to repair the greatest aqueduct in the Roman Empire, which brings water to 250,000 people on the Bay of Naples. Attilius not only has to fight the corrupt forces that control the town of Pompeii, but ultimately the overwhelming power of nature itself.

The film has a projected August start with plans for a five month shoot. Polanski co-wrote the script with Harris.

UPDATE: We have delved more into this story and, while Bloom and Johansson were indeed in consideration for the film, they can't do the film because production has been postponed until April 2008, which conflicts with the actors' schedules. The movie is still being sold at the Cannes Film Festival with a promise of A-list actors attached. It should hit theaters 3rd or 4th Quarter 2009.