If one just takes a look around Hollywood, it seems that the hottest commodity of one of history’s oldest books, the Bible. With Darren Aronofsky taking on the big-budget Noah story, Steven Spielberg thinking about a Moses film and other various projects surrounding Pontius Pilate, Cain and Abel, Methuselah and more, audiences will certainly get their fill of religious history.

Now one of the most popular entries in the genre is set to get a pseudo-sequel, according to The Wrap. After co-scripting Mel Gibson‘s hit drama The Passion of the Christ, writer Benedict Fitzgerald has teamed with Barbara Nicolosi on a film titled Mary Mother of Christ and they’ve already got a major star circling.

Ben Kingsley, who got bit by the Biblical bug for the TV movie Moses back in 1995, is currently circling the project for the role of King Herod. Directed by Alister Grierson (an odd choice considering the helmer last gave us the James Cameron-produced underwater adventure Sanctum), the film would follow Mary as she goes against the evil Herod to protect her young son, Jesus.

Despite retiring, reports indicate Peter O’Toole is still on board to play Symeon, so producers may want to give him a ring before they start shooting. Filling out other roles are Timothy Green star Odeya Rush as Mary and Man of Steel‘s Julia Ormond as her cousin Elizabeth, while Judi Dench circles the role of Anna the Prophetess and Downtown Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville for the role of Satan.

What do you make of this prequel? Is it something you want to see come to screen?