Soderbergh plans to shoot 'Guerilla'

No, he's not having a pop at 'King Kong', the director is starting work on a Che Guevara biopic.

Dec 13 2005

Steven Soderbergh ('Ocean's Eleven') has become the latest director to make a film about the life of the Argentine revolutionary, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara.

'Guerilla' will focus on the last days of Guevara's life and is based on recently declassified CIA files.

Benicio Del Toro ('21 Grams') will play the title role with Benjamin Bratt ('Thumbsucker'), Javier Bardem ('Collateral') and Franka Potente ('The Bourne Identity') also starring.

Guevara was Fidel Castro's chief lieutenant and was executed by Bolivian troops in 1967.

Production will start on January 21 2006 with the shoot taking place on location in Mexico.

Guevara has been an icon of revolution, liberation and countless posters and T-shirts since the 1960s, but interest was renewed in his life after the success of Walter Salles's 2004 film 'The Motorcycle Diaries', which followed a young 'Che' on the South American road trip that changed his life.