Director Alex Proyas has apologised for casting mainly white actors in his upcoming blockbuster Gods of Egypt.

The film, which has been criticised for ‘whitewashing’, features predominantly white actors in its leading roles, despite being set in ancient Egypt.

Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister of Game of Thrones fame) and Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw each appear in the film.

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Although it won’t be released until February next year, the film’s creators have already come under fire for the casting decisions, forcing them to apologise this week.

The director, an Australian, admitted there had clearly been mistakes in the blockbuster’s casting decisions.

Australian Abbey Lee Kershaw appears in the film. Photo: Getty

“The process of casting a movie has many complicated variables but it is clear that our casting choices should have been more diverse,” Proyas said in a statement.

“I sincerely apologise to those who are offended by the decisions we made.”

Lionsgate, the studio behind the $140 million film, also released a statement apologising for the “whitewashing”.

“We recognise that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed.

“In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologise.

“Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.”

A number of Australians appear in the film, including Geoffrey Rush (currently playing British Shakespeare character King Lear on stage), Emma Booth and Courtney Eaton.

Eaton, who has Maori heritage on her mother’s side, is the darkest of the group.

The film’s extras look strange in the traditional garb. Photo: Twitter

Debate surrounds the actual appearance of ancient Egyptians, although it is widely agreed they did not resemble Scottish heartthrob Gerard Butler.

It’s not only the lead casting choices which have stoked the controversy.

Behind-the-scenes photos of the set showed extras looking out of their depth in traditional Egyptian costumes.

One Twitter user commented: “Why does the Egyptian extras from #GodsOfEgypt look like they’re from a Seth Rogen movie?”

Meanwhile, veteran Hollywood figure Bette Midler also tweeted her outrage, saying: “Egyptians, in history and today, have NEVER been white. BRING BACK GEOGRAPHY!! It’s Africa!”

Whitewashing has been a hot topic in Hollywood of late, with a number of films copping criticism for their historical inaccuracies.

Erasing the past? Other films accused of “whitewashing”

Aloha (2015)

Casting the indisputably white Emma Stone as Chinese character Alison Ng drew heavy criticism for director Cameron Crowe. Of the incident, Stone said her “eyes have been opened”.

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Director Ridley Scott did not react kindly to those who questioned his all-white casting of Exodus. “I can’t mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such,” he said at the time.

Othello (1965)

In a particularly offensive case of whitewashing, Laurence Olivier played Shakespeare’s black King Othello in blackface in the 1965 film adaptation of the play.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Jake Gyllenhaal, of Swedish and Jewish descent, was criticised for playing the lead role in Prince of Persia, as was his love interest, the British actress Gemma Arterton.

Pan (2015)

An internet firestorm erupted when porcelain-white beauty Rooney Mara was cast as Tiger Lily in this year’s adaptation of Peter Pan. In the original book, Tiger Lily is a Native American.

Cleopatra (1963)

White American beauty Elizabeth Taylor played the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in her most famous role. The film’s wardrobe department also took some poetic license.