By Michael Ireland
Australian actor Russell Crowe, known best for his roles in ‘Gladiator’ and ‘A Beautiful Mind’, has been picked to play Noah in an upcoming film of the same name.
Paramount Pictures and New Regency Productions have jointly announced that Crowe has been cast as Noah in director Darren Aronofsky’s feature film bearing the same title.
NOAH is a close adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. In a world ravaged by human sin, Noah is given a divine mission: to build an Ark to save creation from the coming flood.
Crowe was born in New Zealand, and has made his home in Australia since he was a small child, according to www.iMDB.com.
The son of movie caterers, Russell got the acting bug early in life. Beginning as a child star on a local Australian TV show, Russell’s first big break came with two films … the first, Romper Stomper (1992), gained him a name throughout the film community in Australia and the neighboring countries. The second, The Sum of Us (1994), helped put him on the American map, so to speak.
Sharon Stone heard about him from Romper Stomper (1992) and wanted him for her film, The Quick and the Dead (1995). But filming on The Sum of Us (1994) had already begun. Sharon is reported to have held up shooting until she had her gunslinger-Crowe, for her film.
With The Quick and the Dead (1995) under his belt as his first American film, the second was offered to him soon after. Virtuosity (1995), starring Denzel Washington, put Russell in the body of a Virtual Serial Killer, Sid6.7 … a role unlike any he had played so far. Virtuosity (1995), a Sci-Fi extravaganza, was a fun film and, again, opened the door to even more American offers.
L.A. Confidential (1997), Russell’s third American film, brought him the US fame and attention that his fans have felt he deserved all along. Missing the Oscar nod this time around, he didn’t seem deterred and signed to do his first film with The Walt Disney Company, Mystery, Alaska (1999). He has recently achieved even more success and awards for his performances in Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001).
The screenplay for Noah was written by Aronofsky and Ari Handel and revised by Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter John Logan (GLADIATOR, HUGO).
Scott Franklin and Aronofsky of Protozoa Pictures, along with Mary Parent of Disruption Entertainment, will produce the film. The film will be executive produced by Ari Handel (BLACK SWAN), Arnon Milchan of New Regency and Chris Brigham (INCEPTION, ARGO).
Said Aronofsky: “I’d like to thank Paramount and Regency for backing my team’s work to breathe new life into the biblical epic.
“I rejoice that Russell Crowe will be by my side on this adventure. It’s his immense talent that helps me to sleep at night. I look forward to being wowed by him every day.”
The movie will begin shooting this July in Iceland and New York. Paramount Pictures will release “Noah” in the US in March 2014.
—Michael Ireland writes for ASSIST News
I liked the Noah the movie. I liked that Hollywood spent a big budget to tell it. I never expected accuracy, I did expect the movie would be told like ‘Clash of the Titans.’ If you just look at the story in comparison to the Greek myths and other legends they have produced as movies I would have to say that the Bible and it Author outshine the rest even in this imperfect telling. I was impressed at the how cool Hollywood imagined the time of Noah. Their version of the story was not implausible. The story of Noah was tragic. The times were violent. The people of that age were angry. The story is about judgment that is not pretty. Like the movie Beowulf (the theology of sin and how a King’s sin goes off like a bomb and ruins life). Hollywood is good at movies if sin is the theme. I must say they are also good with Noah, because men were violent (Hollywood is good at violence). Their was massive destruction and judgment (Hollywood is good at portraying destruction.) ETC. I liked this movie a little more than the Book of Eli. I really think many Christians don’t even know the story of Noah that well. Even after the flood God has to say, (Genesis 8:21) The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, EVEN THOUGH EVERY INCLINATION OF HIS HEART IS EVIL FROM CHILDHOOD. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.” Funny thing is that Noah curses Canaan for the sin of his father Ham after God had made known his desire to be Merciful in spite of their sins against Him… Some cool details Hollywood missed was the ages of the men and the wives that the sons did have. I am almost happy Hollywood does not try to capture the conversations that God has with Noah. I liked seeing Adam and Eve clothed in light before the fall. I wished we could have seen Cain’s story too… The take on the ‘Watchers’ was cool… Lots of un-sanctified imagination, but not irreverent… The whole flood event WAS very painful for GOD and I think the movie caught that pain quite well…
Comments are closed.