Blade Runner filmmaker Denis Villeneuve in talks to direct Cleopatra

Cleopatra may have found her director.

EW has confirmed that Blade Runner 2049 filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is in talks to direct Sony’s long-gestating movie about the legendary Egyptian queen.

It’s been a lengthy and bumpy road to the big screen for Cleopatra. James Cameron and David Fincher are among the high-profile directors to have circled the project, and Angelina Jolie has been linked as a potential star. Representatives for Jolie didn’t immediately respond to EW’s request for comment about her possible involvement.

In a 2011 interview with EW, Cleopatra producer Scott Rudin said of Jolie, ”It’s only a movie with her [in it]. Who else could play it? Who do you get if not her? She’s a gigantic movie star, a great actress. She’s got an unbelievable variety of aspects to her.” On the other hand, leaked emails from the 2014 Sony hack revealed that Rudin once referred to Jolie as a “minimally talented spoiled brat.”

For Villeneuve, news of his potential Cleopatra involvement comes on the heels of effusive early reactions to his sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic Blade Runner. This continues a career year for Villeneuve, who scored his first Oscar nomination in January for directing Arrival.

Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.