Noah

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118046806

Posted: Wed., Nov. 30, 2011, 12:44pm PT
Christian Bale passes on 'Noah'; Fassbender in?
Aronofsky targets Michael Fassbender for Paramount, New Regency epic
By Jeff Sneider

Christian Bale has passed on Darren Aronofsky's "Noah," and the filmmaker is now targeting Michael Fassbender for the title role in Paramount and New Regency's biblical epic.

While Fassbender has not yet received an official offer, sources tell Variety that he has discussed the part with Aronofsky. Fassbender finds himself available now that WB's "Londongrad" has stalled following the departure of helmer Rupert Wyatt, whom Fassbender was keen to work with.

Aronofsky and Ari Handel wrote the original script, which was subsequently rewritten by "Gladiator" scribe John Logan. Aronofsky is producing with Scott Franklin ("Black Swan").

Paramount is high on the faith-based project due to its global appeal, and production is expected to start in the spring.

Fassbender, repped by CAA and Troika, is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood thanks to his well-received turns in four films this year -- "Jane Eyre," "X-Men: First Class," "A Dangerous Method" and "Shame," the NC-17 drama for which he's garnering awards attention. However, unlike most stars, the picky Fassbender doesn't attach himself to many projects. He has supporting roles in Steven Soderbergh's "Haywire" and Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" on the horizon, but the only other project he has committed to is "Twelve Years a Slave," which will reunite Fassbender with his "Hunger" and "Shame" helmer Steve McQueen.

Bale just wrapped Christopher Nolan's last Batman pic "The Dark Knight Rises" and is set to star in a pair of Terrence Malick films, "Lawless" and "Knight of Cups."

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/darren-aronofskys-noah-reportedly-has-a-big-villain-summer-shoot-fall-2013-release-being-eyed

Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah' Reportedly Has A Big Villain; Summer Shoot & Fall 2013 Release Being Eyed
News by Kevin Jagernauth | January 26, 2012

It's been a while since we last heard anything about Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" which has been on a circuitous path to the big screen. A long-standing dream project for the director, it already has a graphic novel incarnation, but over the past year Fox and New Regency came aboard to finance the big budget spectacle that reportedly has a $130 million budget. The film got another boost when Christian Bale circled the lead role, but his commitments to Terrence Malick's back-to-back films shooting this year took him out, with Michael Fassbender now tipped to take over (though he's remained mum on his potential involvement as it seems too tenuous this early on). We haven't gotten wind of much else in a while but it appears that behind the scenes, the wheels are in motion.

During the latest Oscar Poker chat between Sasha Stone (Awards Daily) and Jeffrey Wells (Hollywood Elsewhere), the latter revealed some interesting tidibts he received while chatting with Aronofsky's regular collaborator, cinematographer Matthew Libatique. Yes, this is a bit of hearsay, but this isn't "Law & Order" or a courtroom and it's pretty fascinating stuff. "...And he was telling me about 'Noah' and what the script is like. They're going to start shooting in July in New York and Iceland and he says it's really a good script. They're really doing the story of Noah, a very unlikely subject you might think for a cutting edge fellow like Darren Aronofsky, but that's what they're doing. It's going to be more likely a Fall 2013 release," Wells shared.

As for who's gonna take the lead, that's still up in the air, but it's not the only part up for grabs, as "Noah" will feature of villain (of sorts). "That's the hangup right now, they haven't cast Noah yet. But it's got a guy in his 40s so it's not going to be young. It's going to be 40s. And there's a big villain part, gotta have a villain in the story of Noah," Wells added. "Someone who's saying 'Listen, don't listen to him. We're fine! We don't need to build any ark. Don't be so alarmist! Don't be so fundamentalist.' You know? One of those guys. So it sounded like a lot of fun, actually."

So yeah, less of a villain and more of a doubting Thomas perhaps, someone who will challenge Noah's faith that God is sending a flood, is our guess. And a summer shoot would likely conflict with Fassbender's commitment to "Twelve Years A Slave," so we presume he's out of the mix (though if 'Slave' shoots and wraps fast, we suppose it's still a possibility). It looks like Steven Spielberg isn't the only filmmaker dipping his toes in the Old Testament...and should it come together, Aronofsky will get there before him. Fascinating stuff, and here's hoping we hear more soon.

http://www.slashfilm.com/darren-aronofskys-cinematographer-matthew-libatique-noah-shoot-summer-spills-villain-details/

Darren Aronofsky’s Cinematographer Matthew Libatique Says ‘Noah’ Will Shoot This Summer, Spills Villain Details

Posted on Friday, January 27th, 2012 by Angie Han

Seeing as this comes not directly from Darren Aronofsky, but from Hollywood Elsewhere‘s Jeffrey Wells, who in turn heard it from Aronofsky’s frequent cinematographer Matthew Libatique, it’s probably safest to take the following news with a grain of salt. If true, though, it could mean we’re one step closer to finally seeing a project that’s been a very long time coming.

According to Wells, Libatique says that Aronofsky’s Noah is slated to begin shooting in July for a fall 2013 release, and that the production is still seeking its Noah and its villain. And by “villain,” no, I don’t mean the flood. More details after the jump.

“They’re going to start shooting in July in New York and Iceland and [Libatique] says it’s really a good script,” Wells said on a recent episode of the Oscar Poker podcast (via The Playlist). “They’re really doing the story of Noah, a very unlikely subject you might think for a cutting edge fellow like Darren Aronofsky, but that’s what they’re doing. It’s going to be more likely a Fall 2013 release.”

Wells further explained that one of the hangups on the project is that “they haven’t cast Noah yet. But it’s got a guy in his 40s so it’s not going to be young. It’s going to be 40s.” He added, “And there’s a big villain part, gotta have a villain in the story of Noah. Someone who’s saying ‘Listen, don’t listen to him. We’re fine! We don’t need to build any ark. Don’t be so alarmist! Don’t be so fundamentalist.’ You know? One of those guys. So it sounded like a lot of fun, actually.”

Though Michael Fassbender was reported as a strong possibility for the title character back in November, the new info suggests he may be out of the running. For one thing, Fassbender’s plans to do Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave this summer could prove to be scheduling conflict. For another, at 34, Fassbender is several years younger than (Wells says Libatique says) the role calls for. On the other hand, Hollywood ages actors up or down on a pretty regular basis, and if 12 Years a Slave moves quickly, Fassbender could still have time to begin shooting Noah. At any rate, if the project really is gearing up for a summer start, we can expect to hear more casting news soon.

Though it’s only recently that the project’s begun to pick up serious steam, Aronofsky has been planning Noah for several years now, and he’s even mentioned in interviews that his interest in the biblical tale goes all the way back to his adolescence. The first volume of a French graphic novel based on the script has already hit shelves in Europe.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/russell-crowe-liam-neeson-circle-darren-aronofskys-noah-biblical-epic

Russell Crowe & Liam Neeson Circle Darren Aronofsky's Biblical Epic 'Noah'
News by The Playlist | February 1, 2012 |

First it was Christian Bale, but then he got preoccupied with two Terrence Malick films (not bad work if you can get it). Then the idea of Michael Fassbender was floated around, but as much as we love Fassy, we know in the eyes of studios he can’t float a $130 million ambitious epic – he's just not a "star" yet. So it comes as not much a surprise that director Darren Aronofsky is looking elsewhere to cast the lead of his ambitious biblical epic, “Noah.”

According to Deadline, now Russell Crowe is being eyed for the lead role. He might not be the sexiest of leading men any more in the eyes of those who think Fassbender is god’s new gift to women, but he is an Academy Award winning Best Actor for a film that also won the Best Oscar that year (“Gladiator”). He’s also been nominated for two other Oscars (“A Beautiful Mind” and “The Insider”), so while he is playing the elder-statesman role of Jor-El in Zack Snyder’s “Man Of Steel,” and leaving the super heroics to someone younger, clearly Crowe isn’t ready to be put to pasture just yet (and if he did, he'd surely go kicking and screaming to the last breath).

There’s been talk recently (courtesy of Aronofsky's DP, Matthew Libatique) that “Noah” has been in search of a major villain, and while there’s no confirmation here, the trade also reports that Liam Neeson is being eyed for a role which is not a bad idea, considering how much the actor has become a box-office draw these days as an action star (who woulda thunk a guy pushing 60 would become an action star this late in life?).

Last we had heard, “Noah” was due to shoot this summer, but we assume that’s going to be up in the air until Paramount, the backers of this one, are comfortable with bankable leads, and Crowe and Neeson might just be the pair needed to get that green light (a fall 2013 release is apparently being eyed). Frankly, we’re on board whoever they slot in there. This one sounds like a deeply ambitious project and one that Aronofsky’s been talking about for several years. Imagine we could have missed this one if he would have done “The Wolverine” instead? Let’s be thankful for small miracles.