The contributions of ancient Egypt to human civilization are well known, but high-quality Hollywood films rarely make attempts to portray the period in a serious and meaningful way. Most depictions are either highly caricatured or are shown in passing as part of a plot device.

Ancient Egypt (before 1000 BC, not the Hellenized times of Cleopatra, which is well-documented) is almost never the focus or setting of Hollywood films, and as a result, the public's appreciation and imagination of this monumental and hugely important culture is diminished to an unacceptable level.

We believe that the life of Imhotep, possibly the most interesting historical figure from before 2000 BC, would make an ideal subject for a film about this time period. The setting could not be more exotic and interesting, and the potential for dramatization in Imhotep's life is immense (he would have been a genius living in very ignorant times, making him a character of immense interest to the viewer). Imhotep was a commoner, so his life's story would be the ultimate rags-to-riches story, especially given the time period in which the Pharaoh was seen as a God (he became the Pharaoh's chancellor).

Imhotep essentially invented modern medicine and architecture. Without his legacy, nearly all of modern civilization would be impossible. This alone is cause to depict his life in a lively and interesting, but respectful, way.

We hope that Hollywood will consider making this film, because it's eduational and cultural impact could be significant. Hollywood, as cultural arbiters for the global public's collective imagination, has significant power to help us visualize and appreciate concepts, places, and time periods that we otherwise have great difficulty accessing on a wide scale, with the exception of a few privileged experts.

Hollywood has the power to encourage imagination about the past and in so doing encourage innovation and inspiration in the present - a biopic of the remarkable, yet ill-known figure of Imhotep would be an ideal project for Hollywood to take on, and would be greatly appreciated not only by the today's viewing public, but by lovers of interesting and thought provoking films for years to come.