Deal Agreed: Darren Aronofsky & Russell Crowe's 'Noah' Epic Films in July
'Edgy' $130 million adaptation of the biblical myth is a million miles away from Aronofsky's last two intimate films Black Swan & The Wrestler.
Deadline says the deals are finally signed... Russell Crowe will set sail as Noah in Darren Aronofsky's 'edgy' and ambitious Biblical re-telling of Noah's Ark that begins filming in July. A formal announcement of the Paramount and New Regency co-production's starting date is expected next week. Black Swan & The Wrestler director Aronofsky has been trying to crack Noah for the best part of the last six years (at least anyway as thats only since his desire became public) but after he dropped plans to make The Wolverine, he got serious about making it last summer thanks to the bigger clout he had with financiers after the modest $12 million Black Swan turned into a gold mine churning out over $300 million worldwide. We had heard previously that the director wanted method man and fellow Oscar winner Christian Bale for the leading role as his post-The Dark Knight Rises project but with him busy working on two Terrence Malick films and the stars not aligning, Aronofsky considered Michael Fassbender until Paramount/New Regency suggested a more proven box office draw and A-lister was required for the expensive $130 million project. Aronofsky went for Russell Crowe, an actor who when he is on his game in films like Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind and L.A. Confidential there are few who can match him. He really is like the Marlon Brando of his career and when he has the passion for something, his intensity is off the charts. Just like Brando, Crowe is currently cameo-ing in the Elder Statesman role as Supermans father Jor-El in Man of Steel for Zack Snyder and he has the screen presence to play larger than life characters, which the Noah part clearly is. The deal reunites Crowe with Gladiator scribe John Logan (who re-wrote Aronofsky and Ari Handel's screenplay) and producer Arnon Milchan's New Regency, who made L.A. Confidential. No word yet on Aronofsky's attempts to court Liam Neeson for the villain role, basically an adversary of Noah as he attempts to build his ark. This is how Jeff Wells described the part; Someone whos saying Listen, dont listen to him. Were fine! We dont need to build any ark. Dont be so alarmist! Dont be so fundamentalist. You know? One of those guys."And this is how Aronofsky described the film last year;
Since I was a kid, I have been moved and inspired by the story of Noah and his familys journey, The imaginations of countless generations have sparked to this epic story of faith. Its my hope that I can present a window into Noahs passion and perseverance for the silver screen.Aronofsky of course isn't the only filmmaker going biblical. Steven Spielberg is planning a huge Moses epic befitting of the grand Hollywood spectacles of yesteryear. Personally speaking, as much as I love Aronofsky's last two movies, I can't help but feel that he is a better storyteller when he is crafting more smaller, character driven pieces. I love Black Swan and The Wrestler... but when he lets his creative juices run wild on bigger budgets he lets his imaginations get the better of him (see The Fountain). But the big hope here is that he is clearly crafting a character piece in Noah... it just happens to be a movie on a big scale. Very curious to see how this one further develops...