Aeneid

***Aeneid*** is a historical adventure film that is based on Virgil's epic poem, *The Aeneid*. It takes place in the **Ancient World Cinematic Universe (AWCU)**. The real date is unknown but for cinematic purposes the film is set between 1000-980 BC. This film is the sequel of ***Trojan War***.

The film stars Panayiotis Simopoulos, Luke Evans, Stephanie Leonidas, Jessica Lucas, Nathan Saignes, Mara Darmousli, Frank Grillo, and JR Bourne. Like the rest of the ARCU, the film is mostly historically accurate, with some minor adjustments in order to make it cinematic.

## Plot

Aeneas (Panayiotis Simopoulos) is a fairly high-ranking official in Troy, who receives a vision from his deceased cousin, Hector (Chris Evans), in a dream on the night prior to the sack of Troy, warning him of the coming destruction. He wakes up to the chaos of Greeks infiltrating the city. Aeneas gathers his family - his father, Anchises (Frank Grillo) and son, Ascanius (Nathan Saignes). He discovers that his wife, Creusa, has been killed. Helen (Thylane Blondeau) and Andromache (Athina Oikonomakou) advise him to take the survivors and head to the land of Italy. The survivors look up to Aeneas, as he has the sword of Priam (flashback to scene in ‘’’Trojan War’’’).

A storm forces Aeneas and his ship to make landfall in Carthage but Anchises perishes during the storm. Aeneas and the queen of Carthage, Dido (Jessica Lucas) fall in love. The movie jumps forward a couple of years, and Aeneas is reminded in a dream from Hector, Helen and Andromache that he must continue his path to Italy. Torn, Aeneas abruptly ends his relationship with Dido and leaves Carthage. Dido, upset, declares Aeneas' people to have eternal strife with Carthage (foreshadowing the Punic Wars) before she commits suicide.

Aeneas arrives in Sicily. Once there, he meets the Sibyl of Cumae (Mila Kunis), who has been waiting for him. She brings Aeneas to the Underworld, and lets him talk to Ascanius. She then tells him that if he is successful, the new Troy will eventually be called Rome. She shows him images and dreams of the future of Rome, including heroes like Scipio Africanus, Gaius Marius (Pierce Brosnan), Julius Caesar (Timothée Chalamet), Pompey the Great (Logan Lerman), and Augustus (William Brent).

Aeneas and the local King Latinus (Iain Glen) start a friendship, and hope that Aeneas is the one that his daughter, Lavinia (Stephanie Leonidas) is to marry as per a prophecy. His wife, Queen Amata (Claire Forlani), however, wants her to marry the local Turnus (Luke Evans). After Ascanius causes a disturbance with a local herdsman, Turnus declares war on the new arrivals, with the help of the Volsci, led by Camilla (Mara Darmousli).

Aeneas then befriends an enemy of the Latins, led by King Evander (Tom Wisdom). Turnus kills Evander and the war begins. Camilla is killed by the Trojan Arruns (JR Bourne), but is avenged by Opis (Kelly Gale). After a stalemate, the two sides propose that Aeneas and Turnus duel each other. After a long fight, Aeneas is able to submit Turnus. He chooses to let him live but after seeing the belt of Evander on his shoulder he decapitates him.

In the epilogue, Aeneas and Lavinia get married and Ascanius goes on to form the city of Alba Longa where he becomes the inaugural king.

## Cast

* Panayiotis Simopoulos as Aeneas
* Luke Evans as Turnus
* Stephanie Leonidas as Lavinia
* Jessica Lucas as Dido
* Nathan Saignes as Ascanius
* Mara Darmousli as Camilla
* Frank Grillo as Anchises
* JR Bourne as Arruns
* Tom Wisdom as Evander
* Mila Kunis as Sybil of Cumae
* Athina Oikonomakou as Andromache
* Kelly Gale as Opis
* Thylane Blondeau as Helen
* Iain Glen as Latinus
* Claire Forlani as Amata
* Chris Evans as Hector