Noah will mark Darren Aronofsky’s first foray into mainstream filmmaking. Given the visionary director’s résumé, including The Wrestler and Black Swan, one wonders how the Bible-based film might turn out. It’s been awhile since an update on this film surfaced, but it seems that we might finally have our Noah.
Deadline Hollywood reports that Aronofsky wants Russell Crowe to play the titular ark-builder, and though nothing is set in stone just yet, word indicates that a deal will soon be in place. There’s also talk about the director seeking Liam Neeson for an unnamed part in the film. Both Crowe and Neeson worked together, albeit briefly, in the 2010 feature The Next Three Days.
If Aronofsky gets his way with both of these roles, he’ll have cast not one but two popular actors who could appeal to a large male demographic. Although Crowe built an acclaimed and prestigious career for himself – and winning an Oscar quite early at that – he has always leaned towards machismo roles. In Neeson’s case, the sleeper hit Taken made him something of an action star, and he’s pursued that path ever since, even dropping out Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, a film that could have—and probably would have–easily nabbed him an Oscar nomination.
Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator, Hugo) revised a script for the film previously penned by Ari Handel and Aronofsky. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when filming for Noah will begin or when Paramount hopes to roll the film out in theaters, but expect more official details to come with a casting announcement in the near future.
