SPARTACUS meets SUPERFLY when a young Greek girl unjustly enslaved sparks a popular uprising against Rome to restore freedom and justice and the power of The Funk.

SYNOPSIS:

BEN-HER: VENI VIDI FUNK

Tone & Style:

Genre-bending female-driven historical thriller with roots in '50s Hollywood epics and '70s blaxploitation bangers. And while the tone is dark and menacing, there are many bright moments of joyful exuberance, coming-of-age bravado, smokin' hot music and stone cold guts and grit. The unique story world features a strong multiracial cast of fictional and wildly reimagined historical characters who help drive the action and always keep us guessing as they joust for dominance in a cesspool of power, corruption and lies.

The action-packed thrills of GLADIATOR and BEN-HUR, the conniving and corruption of THOSE ABOUT TO DIE, the sweeping mythology of STAR WARS, the sassy charm of XENA and the mean streets funk of SUPERFLY and THE MACK combine in a highly cinematic and gripping tale of a brave young woman’s powerful journey as she battles against impossible odds to regain her freedom and wreak vengeance on those who enslaved her without ever losing her groove.

Story Overview:

58 A.D. Rome is master of the world. Gaul, Spain, Britain, Greece, Judea, Asia Minor, North Africa and Egypt have been absorbed into the Empire as provinces and those who resist are slaughtered or crucified or sent into the hell of slave labor. Once subjugated, the provinces are taxed, often heavily, and their people forced to live under the dictates of Roman law and occupation. But in many corners of the Empire, the desire for freedom still burns bright. Civilized cultures that long predate the rise of Rome are proud of their heritage and historic achievements and see Rome as an upstart imposter, flaunting its power over superior peoples. One person who feels that way – a fine, spirited young woman with a curious name and The Funk in her veins – is about to enter the arena and give Rome more trouble than it ever bargained for.

Main Characters:

Julia Ben-Her, aka Ben. Bold, high-spirited, strong-willed, whip-smart daughter of a prominent Greek family in Macedonia, age 18. Hates the Romans and fiercely proud of her Greek heritage, which gets her in trouble early and saves her at the end. Hot dancer, champion horse whisperer and born with The Funk in her veins. Sentenced to death for a “crime” in self-defense, she learns to knuckle down and work the system to win back her freedom.

Cleopatra, aka Patti: Sassy, sexy, soul-talkin' Queen of the Nile and High Priestess of The Funk, age 35. Rules the Province of Egypt with a skillful hand. Knows that Ben, like Luke Skywalker, is The Chosen One who will lead The Funk in its rise against Rome and the Dark Side. The ultimate power player in Empire politics. Ben’s mentor, champion and protector.

Biggius Baddius, aka Biggie: Smooth fur toga-wearing boss of Rome’s criminal underworld and the original OG, age 35. Controls the sex trade and sports betting and has every Senator in his pocket. Tight with Patti and partial to lava lamps, Dom Perignon and Marvinius Gaye.

Brutus Malius: Hardass Roman Governor, age 40, who arrives in Macedonia with his degenerate son Craccus, determined to quell unrest and lay down the law. Sentences Ben to 10 years on the galley ships for blinding his son when Craccus tries to rape her. knowing full well that Ben acted in self-defense. Returns to Rome as Commander of the Praetorian Guard. Loyal to the shadowy Emperor Imperious. Lord of the Dark Side.

Craccus Malius: Malevolent son of Brutus, age 18. History of violence and depravity that his father has always covered up. Tries to rape Ben at a reception and Ben stabs him, blinding him in one eye. Claims his innocence, which enslaves Ben on the galley ships. Returns to Rome as Captain in the Praetorian Guard, where Ben calls him into the arena to exact her revenge.

Anubis, aka Nubi. Powerful 7 foot-tall Nubian Demi-God Warrior and Funk-I Master, age 40. Patti’s right-hand man, can morph into a jackal-headed statue in the blink of an eye and wipe out armies with a wave of his hand. Puts Ben through her funky dance paces and knows she’s The Chosen One – but must learn to harness her powers to be a true Funk-I Knight. Trains Ben, Chaka and Afro to be gladiators.

Captain Tut: Patti’s amusing point man and jack of all trades, age 30. Finds Ben, Chaka and Afro washed up on shore after their shipwreck, recognizes Ben’s inner Funk and takes the girls to the Queen. Teaches Ben to drive Patti’s four-horse chariot so she can compete in the Circus Maximus. Fiercely loyal and deadly with his curved Egyptian sword.

Nero: Hefty disco dancing Emperor, age 35. Frivolous and fun-loving at times, yet cold and ruthless when called for. Loves putting on a show and a huge fan of gladiators and chariot races, the bigger the better. Smitten with Patti and putty in hands, which she takes full advantage of. A zaftig operatic diva, but beneath his flowing Imperial robes lies the heart of a cold-blooded Caesar.

Phallus Maximus: Well-hung commanding General of Rome’s home legion, age 35. Ordered to Egypt to bring Ben back but sides with Patti when told of Ben’s unjust enslavement by Malius. Reveals his astonishing endowment and spends a glorious night with Patti, Ben, Chaka and Afro, sealing his allegiance to The Funk. Protects Ben when she fights for her freedom in the Circus Maximus and the Coliseum.

Chaka: Sassy, muscular, soul-talkin’ girl enslaved on the galley ships with Ben, age 25. Escapes with Ben and Afro when a storm sinks their ship and they wash ashore in Egypt. Calls Ben the funkiest White girl she’s ever known. Often at odds with Afro, Anubis orders them to bury their differences and fight as a gladiator team so they can win their freedom in the Coliseum.

Afro: Slinky, clever and devious girl enslaved on the galley ships with Ben and Chaka, age 25. Escapes with Ben and Chalks when their ship is sunk and they wash ashore in Egypt. A dead ringer for Grace Jones in her “Slave To The Rhythm” phase. Tempers her feud with Chaka and the two become an unbeatable team as they fight for their freedom in the arena.

Imperious: Spectral Lord of the Dark Side. Appears in hologram form like the Emperor in STAR WARS through a portal in Malius’s Praetorian office to give instructions. Has been leading the Dark Side’s war against The Funk since the dawn of time. Knows Ben poses a grave threat to the Dark Side and tells Malius to neutralize her at all costs. Patti, Nubi and Phallus protect Ben from Imperious, but ultimately Ben’s survival depends on her own Funk-I powers.

Glaucus: Ruthless Praetorian Guard and Malius’s henchman/assassin, age 35. Beats Theo senseless and kidnaps Ben with orders to kill her and dump her body in a lake, but Nubi and Tut fly to the rescue and save her. Drives Rome’s chariot in the Circus Maximus Funk Off and tries to kill her a dozen times, but Ben’s too smart and ultimately does him in. A very nasty piece of work.

Apollo: Gorgeous godlike gladiator, age 25. Ben’s childhood friend from Macedonia who rises in the ranks and becomes No. 1 when Biggie fixes the title match against the legendary Crixus. Reunites with Ben moments before their death match and refuses to fight, allowing Ben to shout her story to the packed Coliseum and call Craccus into the ring, where she takes her ruthless revenge. A noble hero and loyal friend.

SYNOPSIS:

Imagine the fun if Hollywood epics like SPARTACUS and GLADIATOR hooked up with blaxploitation flicks like SUPERFLY, SHAFT and THE MACK. Boogie Nights Over Egypt? Check. Gladiators and chariots? Check. Funk music? Hell yeah. Throw in some STAR WARS and you've got the funkiest jam ever to hit The Big Pizza.

After a cinematic opening montage highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the Roman Empire and the advantages and disadvantages for those living within it, we plunge into Macedonia in 58 A.D. where Julia Ben-Her, 18, the headstrong daughter of a prominent family and born with The Funk in her veins, hangs with her boyfriend Theo at his popular nightclub awaiting the arrival of the new hardass Roman Governor, Brutus Malius, and his degenerate son Craccus. Theo begs Ben not to piss them off, but Ben, fiercely proud of her Greek heritage and whose hatred of the Romans knows no bounds, doesn’t listen.

As Malius’s entourage parades through the city, Ben gives Craccus the finger, enraging him. And at a reception that night, Craccus and Ben trade insults and the confrontation explodes. Craccus slams Ben to the ground and as he tries to rape her, Ben stabs him in the eye with a sharp hair comb in self defense. As the crowd pours outside, the bloody, half-blinded Craccus swears he never touched her and Malius, even though he knows his son is lying, sentences Ben to ten years on the galley ships for her “crime.” As Ben is led away to certain death and Theo watches helplessly, she swears vengeance on both Malius and Craccus.

63 A.D. Towering waves and howling winds wreak havoc as two galley ships battle a ferocious storm. Lean and hard after five years on the galleys, Ben and her slave sisters Chaka and Afrodite pull the massive oars with 50 other women as the burly Master beats out a quickening tempo. Suddenly a massive wave slams the ships together. Oars shatter, voices scream and hulls cleave open as water surges in, knocking the Master out. Thinking fast, Ben grabs his keys, unlocks her irons, frees Chaka and Afro and they swim through a gaping hole. Tossed like corks on the raging sea, Ben, Chaka and Afro grab hold of barrels and hang on for dear life as the ships vanish beneath the waves, killing all on board.

Washed up on a beach and barely alive, the girls are found by the handsome Captain Tut, who knows they’re fugitive slaves and takes them on his barge down The Nile. The girls can’t believe they’re in Egypt, and as they float down the river with the Pyramids in the distance, Tut tells them Egypt is the birthplace of The Funk. Suddenly Ben’s eyes light up. She was born with The Funk in her veins and as she dances up a Soul Train storm to prove it, Tut smiles and says the Queen will be most pleased.

Freshly bathed and wearing mini-togas, the girls meet Cleopatra, the sassy, soul-talkin' Queen of the Nile and High Priestess of The Funk. Patti quizzes Chaka and Afro about why they were slaved and gets some amusing answers (“Drivin’ while Black” and “Breathin’ while Black.”) But there’s nothing funny about Ben’s story. Patti feels her pain, and knows she wants revenge.

As Patti’s house band hits the groove, she and Anubis, the powerful 7-foot Black demi-god and Funk-I Master, put Ben through her funky dance paces and realize that Ben, like Luke Skywalker, is The Chosen One who will lead The Funk’s rise against the the Dark Side. But the Young Shuffledancer, like the Young Skywalker, has much to learn before becoming a true Funk-I Knight. And, there’s a catch. Under Roman law, the girls will all have to fight for their freedom. Thrilled by the chance at a new life, Ben, Chaka and Afro say they’re raring to go and Patti and Ben start forging an unbreakable bond.

After five years on the galleys, the girls are hardened and tough. And as Anubis trains them as gladiators, they all show promise. Ben – smart, quick and athletic. Chaka – strong, solid and defiant. And Afro – devious, slippery and elusive. But winning takes brains and strategy, and Anubis teaches them the importance of speed and footwork and controlling their anger if they want to stay alive against the bigger and stronger opponents they’ll face.

Ben’s deep knowledge and love of horses soon comes into play. As she watches Patti’s prized team of Arabian stallions (Rameses, Ra, Osiris and Set) stumble around a turn on the chariot track, Ben suggests changing their alignment so that Set, the slowest and steadiest, moves to the inside with Ra and Osiris in the middle and Rameses on the outside where he can fly like the wind. The changes are made and the results are stunning. The horses fly around the track and hold the turns like glue, running as a team like never before. Afterwards, the horses nuzzle Ben affectionately and Patti makes Ben her royal charioteer. Ben quickly masters the art of driving Patti’s four-horse chariot and Patti’s so happy she announces that everyone’s going to Rome to bring on The Funk and win the girls their freedom.

We move to Rome, the Empire’s beating heart and a cesspool of power, corruption and lies and meet a dynamic new cast of characters. Biggius Baddius, the silky smooth king of Rome’s underworld who controls the sex trade, sports betting and has every Senator in his pocket. Nero, the the flamboyant disco diva Emperor who’s sharper than you think. The Senators, who bet zillions on gladiators as Cicero drones on about nothing. Malius, who’s returned to Rome with Craccus as Commander of the Praetorian Guards, a position second only to Nero. The Praeco, a portly showman who shouts the news and weather to jeers and sneers in the Forum in between plus for his sponsors. And Titus Rectum, the shameless host of a ‘70s game show where innocent Christians are nailed to the cross.

The spectral Imperious warns Malius that Ben is alive and in Egypt becoming a Funk-I, posing a grave threat to the Dark Side. Malius orders Phallus Maximus, Commanding General of Rome’s home legion, to arrest her as a fugitive slave and bring her back. Phallus arrives in Egypt and in a highly amusing and erotic standoff, Patti tells Maximus that Ben is hers (“finders keepers”) and that all dangerous weapons (his phallus) entering Egypt must be inspected. But lucky for him, she’s the Chief Inspector. Maximus succumbs to Patti’s wiles and spends an enchanting Boogie Night with the Queen and the girls, sealing his allegiance with The Funk. Maximus returns to Rome and tells Malius that he found Ben, but decided to let her stay. The two commanders lock horns, creating a conflict between the Praetorians and the Legionnaires that soon builds to a head.

Patti’s entourage arrives in Rome and settles into her spacious villa on the Palatine Hill across from Nero’s Palace. With Nero wrapped around her finger, Patti says she’s calling for a global Funk-Off!, a huge party where every province in the Empire brings a chariot team to compete for the crown. She tells Nero about Ben’s unjust enslavement (without naming Malius) and demands her girl get a shot at freedom or she’ll be one angry Queen Bitch – which Nero definitely doesn’t want.

Wheeling and dealing like a Las Vegas shark, Patti visits Biggie in his lava lamp bachelor pad and as the two wily power players rekindle their romance over champagne and Marvinius Gaye, Patti tells Biggie to bet the house on the funk-fueled chick riding Egypt’s chariot.

Patti and the girls hit the town for a fun night out. But as they settle in at Biggie’s Club Casablanca, Ben suddenly sees Theo in a toga tuxedo, running the place. It’s been five years since they’ve seen each other and a lot has changed. And their reunion is awkward and filled with questions, just like like when Rick and Ilsa in met in “Casablanca.” Theo tells Ben he was exiled from Greece soon after Ben’s enslavement and after bumming around the Empire certain that Ben was dead, Mr. Baddius hired him to run the club, which got him back on his feet. Ben tells Theo about the shipwreck and how Cleopatra took her in and developed her powers, and now she’s preparing to fight for her freedom in the Coliseum. Theo scoffs at the idea that Ben’s a gladiator and Ben snarls back, “Don’t bet against me.”

Ben lies awake feeling tortured as Theo sits alone in the club wallowing in despair. Suddenly Ben walks back in and they fall into each other’s arms, desperate to be in love again. But the sweet scene is brutally cut short when the fearsome Praetorian Glaucus and three thugs storm in, beat Theo senseless and kidnap Ben under orders from Malius to take her outside Rome, kill her and dump her body in a lake.

Theo staggers up the Palatine Hill and tells Cleopatra Ben’s been taken. Alarmed and enraged, Anubis uses his Funk-I powers to locate Ben’s spirit five miles outside Rome and he and Tut take off on a flying carpet with no time to lose. They see the wagon carrying Ben and in a spectacular assault, kill the thugs as Ben falls into their arms, thankful to be alive. Back at the villa, Ben and Theo tell Patti and Anubis that a baldheaded Praetorian led the kidnapping, which means Malius and Imperious were behind it.

The big day arrives and Rome is in a Funk-Off! frenzy. The Circus Maximus is packed as each chariot enters to rockin’ music and goes once around the track. Gaul, Espania, Britannia, Germania, Judea and Rome all get their moment. Egypt comes last and as Ben drives her white stallion team onto the track to the funky strains of “Shaft,” the crowd and the announcers go wild.

Seven chariots line up for a no-holds-barred rumble. And as Ben takes her place on the outside, she sees Glaucus next to her driving Rome’s chariot and knows only one of them will leave the track alive.

The flag drops and the horses take off. The race is vicious and brutal, just like the one in “Ben-Hur.” Ben wisely lays back as one by one Judea, Espania, Gaul and Britannia go down and are trampled to death. Two laps to go and it’s down to Rome, Germania and Egypt. Ben keeps laying back as Glaucus and Germania fight for the lead. But on ninth and final lap, Ben makes her move. She shouts to her horses to “Feel The Funk!” and the team takes off like a rocket.

As Ben pulls even, Glaucus starts whipping her and the crowd explodes. With one hand on the reins and The Funk surging through her veins, Ben grabs the whip, yanks Glaucus out of his chariot and streaks for the finish line as Germania ruthlessly tramples Glaucus to death. Ben crosses the finish line first, the crowd goes wild and with Patti, Anubis, Tut, Theo and Maximus watching proudly, Nero crowns Ben the Empire’s Champion Charioteer.

But the girls still have to fight for their freedom. And as we move to the Coliseum, a desperate Malius replaces Ben’s opponent with the champion gladiator Apollo to make sure she won’t survive.

The Coliseum is packed and roaring for blood as Chaka and Afro enter the arena to blasting funk to take on two huge male gladiators. It’s a David vs. Goliath free-for-all, but Anubis has trained them well. And in a thrilling battle using speed, quickness and stealth, the girls beat the men and win their freedom.

Now it’s Ben turn. And suddenly, Malius’s heinous plan explodes in his face. As Ben and the stunningly handsome Apollo enter the causeway, the two childhood friends from Macedonia recognize each other and burst out smiling. A secret plan is hatched and as Ben and Apollo stride into the arena to cheers and salute the Emperor, they drive their swords into the sand and refuse to fight – a stunning act of defiance. Nothing like this has ever happened and as the crowd roars in anger, Apollo shouts for silence and demands that Ben be heard.

With the crowd hanging on every word, Ben tells the story of her rape, her self-defense and her unjust enslavement and accuses Malius by name. The crowd erupts in a rage and so does Nero, unaware of his Praetorian Commander’s involvement. Ben says the Gods will take vengeance on Malius for what he did, but now, she wants revenge against the one who committed the crime.

Ben calls out Craccus Malius. Craccus, sitting with his father, tries to run but Maximus grabs him and as the crowd roars for blood, Nero orders Craccus into the ring. Hiding his fear, Craccus saunters down the long steps, grabs a sword and shield and joins Ben in the center of the ring. And after five long years of hatred, the two mortal enemies can’t wait to kill each other.

Blow after blow reign down like thunder, neither giving an inch. And while Craccus is bigger and stronger, Ben holds her ground, matching him blow for blow. Suddenly Ben breaks off and dances around the arena, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. She dances past Anubis, Chaka and Afro standing in the causeway, tells the band to hit it and as “Shaft” blasts through the Coliseum, Ben’s eyes turn amber gold as The Funk surges through her body like a magnetron.

Ben sprints towards Craccus, leaps in the air, hovers like a Chinese action star and smashes her sword down on Craccus’s shield. The crowd gasps in awe and Craccus staggers back as Ben hammers blow after merciless blow. Craccus falls to his knees. Ben drops to the ground, her eyes glowing like golden marbles, then drops her sword and flicks her hand. Craccus’s sword rips from his grip and flies across the arena. Ben flicks her hand again and Craccus’s shield flies out of the Coliseum. Ben jogs away, then sprints back, leaps, hangs in the air and smashes her shield down on Craccus’s head.

Craccus falls. Ben flicks her hand, raises Craccus back on his feet and smashes him again. Ben drops to the ground, tosses her shield away, raises Craccus back up and starts pounding him like a punching bag. Left, right, left, right, left, right. And when Craccus falls again, Ben raises him up and keeps pounding.

Ben finally releases her magical grip and Craccus falls on his back, his face battered to a bloody pulp. As the crowd screams “Death! Death! Death!”, Ben calmly picks up her sword and looks to Nero. Nero glares at Malius, turns his thumb down and as Craccus stares up in horror, Ben raises her sword and drives it down through Craccus’s throat, instantly becoming a global icon of freedom against tyranny and oppression.

Patti, Ben, Anubis, Tut, Phallus, Biggie, Apollo, Theo, Chaka, Afro and the band lead thousands of people from across the Empire singing and dancing through the streets as Malius carries his son’s battered body from the arena. Suddenly the skies darken and the wind begins to howl. And as the Praeco stands on his platform and scans the skies, he warns that the war between The Funk and the Dark Side has only just begun.

Commercial Appeal:

BEN-HER is the type of movie audiences crave. Thrilling action, gutsy women, colorful characters, breathtaking battles, stunning locations, sweeping vistas, magnificent costumes, wondrous revelations and an amazing collection of funk music classics that capture the mood, define the moment and blend beloved Hollywood epics and blaxploitation bangers into an irresistible new genre the world will adore.

Compelling Themes:

A young woman’s heroic fight against slavery and injustice. The power and corruption of authoritarian regimes. The eternal battle between Good and Evil. The importance of never giving up. The constancy of human nature and how little people have changed throughout history.

Female-Led Cast:

Strong inspirational women in lead roles whose courage, cleverness and spunk surprise and delight us at every turn. Wildly reimaginged historical characters like you’ve never seen them before. And a rogues gallery of Senators, scoundrels, sportscasters and game show hosts who bring depth, dimension and a steady stream of laughs to the show.

Cinematic Settings & Songs:

Breathtaking battles, stunning locations, sweeping vistas, magnificent costumes and wondrous revelations that bring the ancient world to life like never before. Plus an amazing collection of funk music classics that capture the mood, define the moment and blend classic epics and blax bangers into an irresistible and highly appealing new genre.

Marketing Potential:

Viewers will love this high octane blend of two classic movie genres into a unique andcompelling new story world centered on a gutsy young woman’s heroic fight to win her freedom and get justice for the wrong she was done. This ultimate female David vs. Goliath story will connect with audiences on a variety of emotional levels, and its iconic historical settings will only add to the viewing experience.