Anthony Hopkins to Play Very Old in ‘Noah’

Anthony Hopkins may be old, but for his next role he'll be playing ancient. Darren Aronofsky has tapped the Oscar winner to play Methuselah in his upcoming epic 'Noah.'

This news comes straight from the director who tweeted it this today. Social media has obviously changed how such news gets out.

In the bible, Methuselah is 969 years old when he died, which caused God to mourn for seven days and then unleash the great flood. As Russell Crowe is playing the titular boat-making character, Hopkins will likely only be in the first hour of the movie. Hopkins will be joining Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson in the film, which is scheduled for release March 28, 2014.

Hopkins was a journeyman actor for much of his career, until he was cast as Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of the Lambs.' That role made him an unlikely movie star, to which he would often play kindly old British men, or rat bastards. And though his turn as Hannibal "the cannibal" is indelible, his work for Merchant Ivory in such films as 'Howard's End' and 'The Remains of the Day' is also excellent. He was recently in 'Thor' and will be in its sequel 'Thor 2.'