Banderas signs on for Cortes epic

LOS ANGELES, April 5 (UPI) -- Antonio Banderas will portray Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes in Hollywood's epic film, "Conquistador," it was reported Wednesday.

Andrucha Waddington is directing the story about the Cortes expedition that sailed west from Cuba in 1519 to expand the Spanish Empire, The Hollywood Reporter said. Cortes' army landed in what is now Mexico and brought down Moctezuma's Aztec empire.

Shooting is expected to start in September in Spain, Mexico and South America.