Merrick here...

A few weeks back we heard about a project called HERCULES: THE BEGINNING. It's being pulled together by Russian bodybuilder/actor Alexander Nevsky.

This is completely unrelated to Peter Berg's recently announced Hercules project. You can find our initial report about Nevsky's HERCULES HERE.

We recently heard from Mr. Nevsky, who updated us regarding his film's progress. The project is moving forward, and key players are currently being attached.

Alexander says he's working to develop "a new take" on the Hercules story, which:

...will be based on the
rising of Hercules and his first battles with evil, before legendary "12 Labors."

Part of the movie will shoot in Russia, with the rest filming in Morocco - sounds like it'll roll sometime next Spring.

Nevsky will co-script HERCULES with Sheldon Lettich. Lettich co-wrote RAMBO III with Stallone, and co-scripted DOUBLE IMPACT with Van Damme (a film Lettich also directed). Lettich will direct HERCULES: THE BEGINNING as well, which Nevsky says is both ironic and symmetrical:

Lettich was the first director that Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert approached for directing the pilot for their "Hercules: The Legendary Jorneys" TV series,
but he turned it down.

Interesting.

The Nevsky produced MAGIC MAN (in which he stars with Billy Zane, Robert Davi, Bai Ling, and Armand Assante) is currently in post production. It has an interesting, PRESTIGE-ish conceit if I understand the plot correctly. Essentially it's a "murder" mystery in which it's unclear if the crime is merely magic, or actual murder. MAGIC MAN should be released sometime next year.

More on HERCULES as more becomes known...