Epic of Gilgamesh: Screenplay Act I

FADE IN:

EXT. URUK - MARKET SQUARE - DAY

The city of Uruk thrums with life. Merchants shout over piles of barley and lapis lazuli, while oxcarts rumble through crowded streets. The towering ziggurat of Anu casts its shadow over the square, where CITIZENS whisper of their king’s latest demands. The air is thick with dust and the scent of cedar.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, rules with the might of a god and the heart of a man untested. His people labor under his ambition, their voices rising to the heavens. But the gods have answered, and from the wilds, a force approaches to challenge the king’s pride.

CUT TO: EXT. WILD STEPPE - DAY

ENKIDU, wild and powerful, races alongside a herd of gazelles, his matted hair streaming in the wind. He tears a snare from a tree, freeing a trapped antelope, which nuzzles him gratefully.

ZARQU
(20s, hunter, watching from a ridge, whispering to DUMUZI)

He moves like the wind itself, Dumuzi. No man could match him. He’s no demon—he’s something the gods sent to humble us.

DUMUZI
(30s, trapper, gripping his spear)

Humble us? He’s starving us! Every trap we set, he destroys. We must bring word to Gilgamesh. If anyone can face this wild man, it’s the king.

ZARQU nods, uneasy, as ENKIDU vanishes into the grasslands.

ZARQU
(Softly, awed)

I pity the man who crosses him. Even a king.

CUT TO: INT. ROYAL PALACE - THRONE ROOM - DAY

GILGAMESH, mid-20s, a towering figure in lion-skin robes, lounges on a throne of cedar and gold. His eyes burn with restless energy. COURTIERS and ADVISORS surround him, presenting clay tablets. The PRIESTESS ISHTARAN stands nearby, her gaze steady.

ADVISOR 1 (NINURTA)
(40s, nervous, holding a tablet)

Great king, the western wall is nearly complete, but the workers tire. They beg for rest. Perhaps a festival to honor Shamash—

GILGAMESH
(Cutting him off, voice booming)

Rest? Uruk’s walls will stand when the stars fall! Tell them to work harder, Ninurta. My city will be the envy of the gods themselves.

NINSUNNA
(30s, potter, stepping forward boldly)
(Through gritted teeth)

Great king, my sons collapse under your burdens. They haul bricks while their children go hungry. Mercy, I beg you.

GILGAMESH leans forward, his gaze piercing.

GILGAMESH

Mercy? Uruk thrives because of me, Ninsunna. Your sons build a legacy that will echo through time. Would you have them remembered as weak?

NINSUNNA lowers her eyes, trembling but silent. ISHTARAN steps forward, her voice calm but firm.

ISHTARAN

Great Gilgamesh, the gods delight in your strength, but they also hear the cries of Uruk. Balance is their law. Even a king must heed it.

GILGAMESH smirks, waving a dismissive hand.

GILGAMESH

The gods made me their equal, Ishtaran. Let them send a challenge if they doubt me. I fear no man, no god.

The doors burst open. ZARQU and DUMUZI enter, breathless, bowing low.

DUMUZI

My king, a wild man roams the steppe! He frees our game, breaks our traps. The hunters starve, and the herds scatter. He is no ordinary man—strong as a bull, swift as a lion.

GILGAMESH
(Rising, intrigued)

A wild man? Strong as me? (Laughs) Perhaps the gods have answered after all. Bring him to Uruk. I will test his strength myself.

ZARQU
(Hesitant)

He shuns men, my king. He lives with beasts. But... there is a way. Send Shamhat, the temple priestess. Her grace might tame him where spears fail.
GILGAMESH nods, a glint in his eye.

GILGAMESH

Shamhat it is. Let her draw this wild man to Uruk. I will meet my equal—or break him.

CUT TO: EXT. WILD STEPPE - WATERING HOLE - DUSK

SHAMHAT, 20s, radiant in flowing robes, her hair adorned with gold, approaches a tranquil watering hole. ENKIDU drinks alongside gazelles, unaware. She sings softly, her voice like a melody from the gods. ENKIDU freezes, entranced.

SHAMHAT
(Singing, gentle)

O wanderer of the wilds, born of earth, come to me. The gods have woven our paths together. Let me show you the warmth of Uruk’s hearth.

ENKIDU approaches, cautious but drawn to her. He kneels, his voice rough, unused to words.

ENKIDU

Who are you, woman, shining like the dawn? Why do you call me from the wild?

SHAMHAT
(Smiling warmly)

I am Shamhat, servant of Ishtar. I bring you tales of Uruk, of a king named Gilgamesh, whose strength rivals yours. Come, learn the ways of men, and find your place among them.

ENKIDU hesitates, glancing at the gazelles, then back to SHAMHAT.

ENKIDU
(Gruff)

The wild is my home. Men set traps, cage the free. Why should I follow you?

SHAMHAT
(Softly, touching his hand)

Because you are more than beast, Enkidu. The gods made you for greatness, to walk beside kings, not shadows. Trust me, and see.

ENKIDU’s eyes soften. He nods, rising. They walk together toward Uruk, the horizon glowing with the city’s light.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

Enkidu, born of clay and wilderness, steps toward his destiny. In Uruk, a king awaits, unaware that his life will soon be reshaped by a bond forged in challenge and fire.

CUT TO: EXT. URUK - CITY GATES - DAY

ENKIDU, now clad in a simple tunic, his wildness tempered but not gone, enters Uruk with SHAMHAT. CITIZENS stare, whispering. He marvels at the towering walls and bustling streets.

ENKIDU
(Awed)

This is Uruk? Walls like mountains, voices like a river... How do men build such wonders?

SHAMHAT

With labor and dreams, Enkidu. But beware—Gilgamesh rules here, and his heart is fierce. He will test you.

They approach the palace, where a CROWD gathers. GILGAMESH steps out, his presence commanding. The two men lock eyes, tension crackling like a storm.

GILGAMESH
(Smiling, sizing him up)

So, you are the wild man who defies my hunters. I am Gilgamesh, king of Uruk. Do you come to bow or to challenge me?

ENKIDU
(Steady, defiant)

I am Enkidu, born of the steppe. I bow to no man, king or not. The gods sent me to face you, not to kneel.

The CROWD gasps. GILGAMESH laughs, stepping closer.

GILGAMESH

Bold words! Let’s see if your strength matches them. Face me, Enkidu, and prove your worth!
They circle each other, the CROWD forming a ring. They clash, grappling with titanic force, shaking the ground. Dust rises as they wrestle, neither yielding.

NINSUNNA
(Whispering to LUGAL)

Look at them—two storms colliding. Perhaps this Enkidu will teach our king humility.

LUGAL
(Amazed)

Or they’ll tear Uruk apart trying.

The fight ends in a stalemate, both men panting, bruised but grinning. GILGAMESH claps ENKIDU on the shoulder.

GILGAMESH
(Laughing)

By Shamash, you’re no ordinary man! No one has matched me like this. Come, Enkidu, feast in my hall. You are no foe—you are my brother.

ENKIDU
(Nodding, a spark of respect)

Brother, then. Let us see what the gods have planned for us.
They walk into the palace, the CROWD cheering, a new bond forged.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

From rivalry blooms brotherhood, a bond that will shake the heavens. Gilgamesh and Enkidu, two halves of a single soul, stand ready to face the trials ahead. But glory demands sacrifice, and the gods watch closely.

CUT TO: INT. ROYAL PALACE - BANQUET HALL - NIGHT

A grand feast unfolds. Tables groan with roasted lamb, dates, and barley beer. GILGAMESH and ENKIDU sit side by side, laughing, as MUSICIANS play and DANCERS swirl.

ENKIDU
(Tasting beer, grimacing)

This drink of yours—bitter as mud! Give me the clear water of the steppe any day.

GILGAMESH
(Grinning)

You’ll learn to love it, Enkidu. Uruk has pleasures the wilds can’t match. Tell me, what drives a man born of clay?

ENKIDU
(Thoughtful)

The wind, the stars, the pulse of the earth. I ran with beasts, free of improvvisare. But you, Gilgamesh—what drives a king to wrestle his own people?

GILGAMESH
(Leaning back)

Power. Glory. The need to be remembered. I build Uruk to outlast time itself. What else is there?
ENKIDU nods, his eyes distant, as if sensing a deeper truth.

ISHTARAN
(Approaching, quietly)

Great king, your new friend brings hope to Uruk. But take care—the gods test those they favor. This bond may be their greatest trial yet.

GILGAMESH waves her off, but ENKIDU’s gaze lingers on her, thoughtful.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

Act I ends with a city united, a king and a wild man bound by strength and respect. But the gods’ plans unfold slowly, and the path to glory is paved with peril. Uruk celebrates, unaware of the shadows gathering beyond its walls.

FADE OUT.

END ACT I