Will We See Darren Aronofsky’s Version of ‘Noah’?

Making a movie about a religious figure, any religious figure, is bound to lead to some controversy, and it appears that early reactions to Darren Aronofsky's 'Noah' has made the studio nervous. In this case, it may be a no win situation.

The Hollywood Reporter has published an article suggesting that test screenings of the film (for both religious groups and regular audiences) have not gone well, leading to an argument over who will have final cut. The film, which stars Russell Crowe, Emma Watson and Jennifer Connelly, is easily the director's most expensive film as he toiled in the arthouse market until 'Black Swan' became his biggest hit, and that gave him the clout to direct 'Noah,' a film that cost over a hundred million dollars. But that sort of budget often leads to compromises, and it sounds like Aronofsky isn't making them.

This article may have been released because it's true, but may also have been a strategic decision by one side or the other to take this fight public. Whether it benefits Paramount or Aronofsky is hard to say, but they have to make sure "troubled reactions" don't become the film's defining buzz.

With a mostly completed cut, it looks like the film will be ready for a March 28, 2014 release date, the question is if the solutions to the film's "problems" and reactions to the politics of the film (Aronofsky has called Noah "the first environmentalist") can be solved. Perhaps these problems are also being overblown as Paramount's vice chairman Rob Moore had this to say: "We're getting to a very good place, and we're getting there with Darren."