As
OWF reader Chris pointed out in response to my
'I'm done with comic book movies not made by Nolan/Vaughan' statement yesterday, quite rightly I forgot about
Darren Aronofsky's first blockbuster film
The Wolverine. After dismissing the project as a complete non-event earlier in the summer on the back of that awful
Gavin Hood directed misfire, my head was quickly turned when Aronofsky stunned us all by boarding the sequel and slowly but surely my interest levels have kept raising higher and higher. Now a
Fox press release has revealed that the film will begin production in April, meaning we should hear some casting tidbits after the New Year. Meanwhile, the press release also reveals that Aronofsky has signed
a two year deal with Fox to produce further films (and presumably not direct as he is busy with this one) through his Protozoa Pictures.
Everybody pretty much expected that Aronofksy had signed this kind of deal to shoot a property that was beneath him, and it's a good chance for Aronofksy to get many of the projects he has wanted to make possibly off the ground with other filmmakers. What I'm wondering is why Fox haven't set a release date for The Wolverine yet? Obviously it won't be next year but the Summer of 2012 is sure looking busy, so why haven't they pitched their tentpole yet and made a statement of intent? Looking at
the release dates, Wolverine can't possibly come in May or June but April 2012 is possible (though maybe too early) or otherwise it will have to be August 2012.