Antonio Banderas to Play Pablo Picasso in 33 DIAS

Variety reports that actor Antonio Banderas is set to play famed artist Pablo Picasso in Carlos Saura's upcoming $8 million biopic 33 DIAS (33 Days).

The story takes place during the emotionally turbulent time Picasso spent on "Guernica" in which he painted his famed mural showing the destruction of the Basque town of Guernica in 1937 by the Nazi army during the Spanish Civil War.

Saura and Elias Querejeta and French writer Louis-Charles Sirjacq penned the script for the upcoming film. The production is scheduled to begin shooting next summer in Paris and Guernica.

Banderas won both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards and received a Tony nomination for his starring role in the Broadway musical 'Nine'. He recently lent his voice to the animated film 'Puss in Boots'.

His film credits include The Legend of Zorro, Take the Lead and the 2011 horror thriller The Skin I Live In.