Tantalising publicity shots for next year’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie are full of promise. With Bruckheimer and Newell on board this should be truly epic.

Walt Disney Pictures has released a new batch of press stills and publicity shots for the live-action Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time film, scheduled for release in May 2010. Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley all carry the desired mystique in their respective roles as Prince, Princess and scheming Royalty Nizam. Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, The Da Vinci Code) also stars as Sheik Amar but we’ll have to wait a while longer to see him in character.

Meanwhile Mike Newell has seized the Director’s throne, whose credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer needs no introduction, and his rousing “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy bodes extremely well for Prince of Persia.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is currently in post-production, after being filmed on location near Marrakesh, Ouarzazate and Erfoud, Morocco. Our very own Pinewood Studios has also enabled some of the hugely scaled sets that we’ll see on the big screen. So, a big hurray there for the British film industry!

Here’s the official plot blurb from Disney, save you searching elsewhere:

“Set in the mystical lands of Persia, PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME is an epic action-adventure about a rogue prince (JAKE GYLLENHAAL) and a mysterious princess (GEMMA ARTERTON) who race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.”

Until 28 May, 2010 then… or the next round of smoulderin' photos.