Both Hanks and Zeta-Jones have expressed interest in starring in the film, though neither has given a firm answer.
The production is to be filmed on location in Salzkammergut, Austria, as well as in studios in Hungary, Italy and India.
The production is expected to cost EUR 30 million. Though a studio has still not been chosen, the names of Time Warner and Disney have been raised. The idea for the film comes from Austrian-born Hollywood producer Lilly Berger.
Plans are to start filming in the autumn of 2009, but the Hollywood writers' strike could upset the schedule. Filming might have to wait another year.
Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie became the Empress consort of Austria and Queen consort of Hungary upon her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph on April 24, 1854.
In spite of her difficulties adapting to the strict etiquette practiced at the Habsburg court, Elisabeth bore the Emperor three children in quick succession: Archduchess Sophie of Austria (1855-1857), Archduchess Gisela of Austria (1856-1932) and crown prince, Rudolf (1858-1889). A decade later, Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria (1868-1924) followed. Elisabeth was denied any major influence on her own children's upbringing - they were raised by her mother-in-law Sophie - and soon after Rudolf's birth the marriage started to deteriorate, undone by Elisabeth's increasingly erratic behaviour - her family, the Wittelsbachs, had a history of mental instability.
Elisabeth embarked on a life of travel, seeing very little of her children, but visiting places such as Madeira, Hungary, England, and Corfu, where she commissioned the building of a castle which she called Achilleion. She was well known for her beauty, her fashion sense, diet and exercise regimens, passion for riding sports, and a series of reputed lovers.
National unrest within the Habsburg monarchy led, in 1867, to the foundation of the Austro-Hungarian double monarchy, making Elisabeth Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. Elisabeth had always sympathized with the Hungarian cause and, reconciled and reunited with her alienated husband, she joined Franz Joseph in Budapest, where their coronation took place. Afterwards, however, she again took up her former life of travelling through Europe.
In 1889, Elisabeth's life was shattered by the death of her only son: 31 year-old Crown Prince Rudolf and his young lover Baroness Mary Vetsera were found dead, apparently by suicide.
On September 10, 1898, in Geneva, Switzerland, Elisabeth, aged 60, was stabbed to death with a needle file by a young anarchist named Luigi Lucheni.
Source: Múlt-kor / Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
