Warner Bros. has picked up Pontius Pilate, a screenplay by Vera Blasi (Woman On Top, Tortilla Soup) that puts a fresh spin on this Biblical figure.

The script follows the entire life of Lucius Pontius Pilate, the son of a Roman knight and a cunning warrior in his own right. He is assigned to become the "prefect" (a cop or lawman) of Judea, where his arrogance clouds his judgment and causes the public to despise him. This leads to his decision on the fate of Jesus Christ, a man claiming to be the King of the Jews.

Other Biblical luminaries such as John the Baptist, Salome, and Mary Magdalene are featured in this drama, described as, "a Biblical era Twilight Zone episode." Here's what the screenwriter had to say about this story that mixes historical fact with creative elements.

"You have the available facts from Roman and Jewish history books and the four gospels, and then you are left to speculate, to interpret the character of Pilate and give him a dilemma. He seemed a great way to offer context to this very famous event, and if you look at it from the perspective of the Roman governor of that time, it allows for an investigation of the politics of Judea at the time, and what it was like to be occupied by Rome."

Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad) is producing through his Gran Via Productions company. He is currently searching for a director.