Antonio Banderas has signed on to play famed Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes in "Conquistador," a historical epic being directed by Andrucha Waddington says The Hollywood Reporter.

Conquistador tells the story of the fateful expedition led by Cortes that sailed west from Cuba in 1519, in hopes of expanding the Spanish Empire. Cortes and his band of soldiers came upon what is now Mexico and swiftly brought about the destruction of the Aztec empire, led by the legendary ruler Moctezuma.

Nicholas Kazan ("Reversal of Fortune") wrote the screenplay. A September production start is anticipated on location in Spain, Mexico and South America. Some scenes will be shot in Mayan and Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Budget is said to be north of $40 million -- the highest ever for a Spanish-language film.