Intense poster for 'The Tempest' hits

Yahoo! Movies today debuted the first poster for Julie Taymor's upcoming version of "The Tempest," starring Helen Mirren, Russell Brand, Alan Cumming, Alfred Molina, Djimon Hounsou and Chris Cooper.

See poster below. In the flick, the gender of Prospero has been switched to Prospera. Going back to the 16th or 17th century, women practicing the magical arts of alchemy were often convicted of witchcraft.

Prospera is usurped by her brother and sent off with her four-year daughter on a ship. She ends up on an island; it's a tabula rasa: no society, so the mother figure becomes a father figure to Miranda.

This leads to the power struggle and balance between Caliban and Prospera; a struggle not about brawn, but about intellect. "The Tempest" is expected to hit theaters Dec. 10, 2010. Looking good so far...