 Originally, Baz Luhrmann was planning to make a film about Alexander the Great starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, with a screenplay by David Hare.The director had built a studio in the northern Sahara but "Alexander" made by Oliver Stone was released first and after several years in development, Luhrmann abandoned the project to make a film closer to home.The visual effects were done by the Animal Logic films and The LaB Sydney.