The 1667 work, published in ten volumes and written in blank verse, tells the story of mankind’s rise, the temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan, and their shame in the Garden of Eden. Some critics argue that Satan is the hero of the story, because he has to overcome his doubts and weaknesses to corrupt mankind. That should ensure plenty of controversy for the film, after last year’s effort by the Catholic Mel Gibson to tell the story of the Resurrection in The Passion of the Christ.

Paradise Lost, to be produced by Hyde Park Entertainment and Vincent Newman Entertainment, will be written by Phil DiBlasi and Byron Willinger. “In its embodiment of ancient literature and mythology, Paradise Lost is a timeless story of the human quest for meaning,” Mr Newman told Variety magazine yesterday.

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