Flavour of the month JUDE LAW is set to play Greek hero ALEXANDER THE GREAT in an epic blood and guts movie.

The success of sword-and-sandal epic GLADIATOR (2000) has given WARNER BROS the confidence to make the film - with an $85 million (£51 million) budget

And after RUSSELL CROWE captured the imaginations of so many cinema-goers, movie bosses are keen to recruit Law to play the great monarch.

The movie will be directed by CHRISTOPHER MCQUARRIE for the CANTON COMPANY and SENATOR ENTERTAINMENT, from a script by PETER BUCkMAN of JURASSIC PARK 3 (2001) fame.

One of the movie's senior script editors reveals, "The battle scenes are as gripping and terrifying as those in BRAVEHEART (1996) and Gladiator (2000). Indeed, they're actually far more ambitious and bloody. " However, what may really shock viewers are the scenes of male rape and homosexuality which will be included in the film. (JM/WN/RP)

Source: WENN