Film Sponge

We’re seeing a resurgence of biblical movies lately. Mel Gibson shook audiences around the world with The Passion of the Christ. Steven Spielberg has announced his Moses film Gods and Kings, and production is set to start in July for Darren Aronofsky‘s Noah. For some people, films based on characters from the bible or containing Judeo-Christian themes may be a turn off. Never forget that some of the best classic films came from the same stock. How could you forget The Ten Commandments or Ben Hur? Despite what you may think of the bible, the stories are grand and make good movies!

A press release went out over the weekend announcing Russell Crowe to star as Noah, but no other cast members have been announced. Read the full press release after the jump.

HOLLYWOOD, CA (April 22, 2012) – Paramount Pictures and New Regency Productions jointly announced today that Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe has been cast as Noah in Academy Award®-nominated director Darren Aronofsky’s feature film of the same name. Paramount will release the film on March 28, 2014.

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.”

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. The screenplay 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).

The movie will begin shooting this July in Iceland and New York.