Taking a break from his signature documentaries for a while, Werner Herzog has just wrapped his Gertrude Bell biopic Queen Of The Desert, and will continue in narrative feature mode for his next project. He'll direct Salt And Fire, a volcanic thriller starring German actress Veronica Ferres (Klimt, Hector And The Search For Happiness).
The story, according to available sources, will involve drama and romance in South America, where scientist Ferres butts heads with the head of a corporation responsible for an ecological disaster. When a local supervolcano starts to display ominous signs, however, she has to team up with her antagonist to stave off a natural disaster.
Herzog wrote the screenplay and will also produce, alongside his Queen Of The Desert cohort Michael Benaroya.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to be endeavouring on another journey with Werner Herzog,” Benaroya says. “He is a truly special filmmaker and person. I believe this project will exceed the high expectations that come with any film he directs.”
Herzog is eyeing April as his start date, with shooting taking place on the Bolivian salt flats.
Queen Of The Desert, starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Damian Lewis, Robert Pattinson and Jenny Agutter, made its debut last week at the Berlin International Film Festival and is currently in the process of finding distribution.