Following rumour on the internet several weeks ago (started by Latino Review), Variety has now confirmed that Jake Gyllenhaal will play the lead in Mike Newell's Prince of Persia, based on the popular computer game series created by Ubisoft. Gemma Arterton, continuing her rise to fame after St Trinian's and Quantum of Solace, has also been cast in the film.
In Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Gyllenhaal will play Dastan, a prince of Persia (naturally) in the sixth century who must defeat an evil nobleman and stop him getting his hands on The Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that has the power to reverse time and can give its possessor the power to rule the world. Basically, it's a big, fancy egg-timer. Arterton will play a spunky exotic princess who aids him in his quest.
All suggestions are that Disney is hoping that Persia will fill the adventurous, and highly profitable, gap left by Pirates of the Caribbean. This has many of the same ingredients: traditional semi-fantastical setting, family appeal, lots of scope for set pieces, a currently little-known Brit actress who could go stellar. Can it echo the Pirate franchise's multi-billion dollar success?