Prince of Persia: The Sands...

Prince of Persia The Sands of Time by Jordan Mechner Revisions by Jeffrey Nachmanoff June 15, 2006 Jerry Bruckheimer Films THE SLOW BEAT OF WAR DRUMS. We’re moving over the surface of a relief MAP. The European continent lies in darkness while the great empire of the Caliphs is bathed in a golden glow -- stretching from Spain across North Africa, the Arabian peninsula and the vast land mass of Central Asia, to the western edge of China. TITLE OVER: THE NINTH CENTURY As we HOME IN on the Himalayan mountains -- the eastern edge of the region of light -- the map becomes REAL. We’re flying through mist and craggy peaks, fog clearing to reveal… EXT. ARMY CAMP - NIGHT A medieval PERSIAN ARMY camped on a forbidding mountain slope, twelve thousand feet high. A group of battle-scarred SOLDIERS cluster around a pair of men playing DICE, kibitzing and making side bets. A heap of trinkets and coins is piled on the ground. One of the GAMBLERS is a big BRUTE with rotted and missing teeth; he produces a golden bangle and drops it in the pot. All eyes turn to his opponent… DASTAN, Who sits calmly with his back to us. We haven’t seen his face yet but his very stillness sets him apart. He’s as grimy and battle-worn as the rest but his armor and dress are of higher quality. Dastan unfastens his own studded-leather wrist guard. Displays it for all to see; drops it on the pile. The men crane eagerly as Dastan rolls… THREE: a bad roll.