Mary: She’s Everywhere!

Here’s some good news! The extremely-coincidentally-named Mary, Mother of the Christ (co-written by my friend Barb Nicolosi) will be shot in Morocco beginning in May.

Camilla Belle (“10,000 BC”) will star as the titular character and will be joined by Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the dual roles of Gabriel and Lucifer and Peter O’Toole as Symeon.

Al Pacino and Jessica Lange are in talks to play Herod and Anna the Prophetess.

Mary Aloe is producing along with Dune Films (“Hidalgo,” “Prince of Persia”).

Argentine helmer Alejandro Agresti (“Valentin,” “The Lake House”) is directing the film, which begins lensing in Morocco in May.

MGM plans to release the film wide in 2,000-plus theaters April 2, 2010, which coincides with Good Friday.

There’s also a passionate discussion of the “Did Mary suffer labor pains?” question in the comboxes. I initially thought this was a pious opinion which you could take or leave. Turns out Trent says she didn’t–at least according to one extremely zealous reader in Barb’s comboxes. On the other hand, Avery Dulles seems to think it’s still an open question. I’ll go with Trent till I know more. One of these days, if it ever becomes important enough to me to really care about the answer, perhaps I will discover that Dulles knows something about the development of theological opinion on this matter that the uber-zealous guy in Barb’s comboxes doesn’t know. Right now, I have other matters to worry about more.

Anyway, congrats to Barb! I imagine writing a script like this must be like navigating a mine field! But I’m awfully glad to see Mary penetrating popular consciousness more deeply. Blessings on your work in the Vineyard, Barb!

UPDATE: Advantage, Dulles. You can believe Mary suffered no pains if you like, but you don’t have to.