The movie the SI Financial will likely hit the reputation of Mankiewicz's blockbuster 1963 "Cleopatra", is expected to cost a colossal sum of dlrs 120 million.

    SI's spokeswoman Jane Schwartz said in a news conference in London that the scenes will be shot in Egypt and will make use of the facilities of the Sixth of October Media Production City.

    This will be the first international movie to tackle the story of the Egyptian powerful Queen. Hatshepsut, the fifth ruler of the 18th Dynasty was the daughter of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose.

    As was common in royal families, she married her half-brother, Thutmose II, who had a son, Thutmose III, by a minor wife.

    When Thutmose II died in 1479 B.C. his son, Thutmos"e III, was appointed heir.

    However, Hatshepsut was appointed regent due to the boy's young age.

    They ruled jointly until 1473 when she declared herself pharaoh.

    Dressed in mens attire, Hatshepsut administered affairs of the nation, with the full support of the high priest of Amon, Hapuseneb and other officials.

    When she built her magnificent temple at Deir El Bahari in Thebes she made reliefs of her divine birth as the daughter of Amon.

    Hatshepsut disappeared in 1458 B.C. when Thutmose III, wishing to reclaim the throne, led a revolt.

    Thutmose had her shrines, statues and reliefs mutilated.

    A large film team from Britain and the US will visit Egypt in the next few weeks to inspect the potential locales and get acquainted with the available facilities in the Media City which is dubbed as the" Hollyood of the East.

    The British company commissioned former Egyptian press attache in Britain Zaki Ghazi with arranging for the visit's programme in coordination with the bodies concerned. US British- born movie star Catherine Zeta Jones is expected to be one of the team's members if she accepted to play the leading role.

    Ghazi said the team are expected to meet with a number of Egyptian officials including Chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawwas.

    They will also make a tour through many sites in Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El-Sheikh, Giza, the Oases and Alexandria using a special plane, added Ghazi who declined to reveal the details of the potential production.