Mickey Rourke to portray Genghis Khan?

Mickey Rourke has revealed that he is to play Genghis Khan in an upcoming movie.

Speaking to The Orlando Sentinel, Rourke said that he will portray the Mongol emperor in a film written and directed by John Milius.

"The man (Milius) is known for his tough writing. He wrote Conan and Dirty Harry and Apocalypse Now, and it'll be interesting to see how he works behind the camera. I'm playing Genghis," the actor explained.

Rourke added that the film's story is told from Khan's grandson's point of view.

"You see him (Khan) in flashbacks, back when he was in his mid-40s. And back then, being in your mid-40s was being really old," he continued.

"Historically, if you read about the guy, he was a mystery. There's a lot of myths surrounding him, but also some true stories. Milius went through that in prepping this, so he'll be a fascinating character to play."

Filming for the project is expected to take place in India and China.