Hannibal...

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

The basic problem with casting Hannibal in any movies is that there are no middle eastern looking people who could play the role. That is a big enough star to carry the movie. I can think of 2 actors who would look the part of Hannibal, Tony Shalhoub from monk who is Lebanese and Alexander Siddig from star trek DS9. Both of them can act half-was decently and look middle eastern. But given the popular belief that the carthaginians were black, Denziel will probably play Hannibal if they ever make a movie.

With Hollywood thinking and the American public's ignorance and conscience problems (slavery), ANYTHING related to Africa is linked with sub-saharian ethnicities.

That beeing said, rest assured, Hannibal was of Semitic ascendancy and probably quite pure of blood, because of being a nobleman. Casting Denzel (although a fantastic actor) would be ridiculous!!! Any Caucasian of Mediterranean ascendency (dark hair and of somewhat tanned skin) would fill the bill much better...

Also John Wayne as a legionary is not so unbelieveable as John Wayne as the Genghis Khan Temugin (SP).

They're both horrible choises. Although the first is less bad. You must remember that the vast majority of Romans (specially early period) had dark hair, dark eyes and small stature (averaging 1,65m=5'). IIRC, John Wayne had light brown hair, blue eyes and about 6' of height.