Is it a jinx or what? Acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky (THE WRESTLER, BLACK SWAN) doesn't seem to have a stroke of luck when comes to potential big-budget production. You've heard it all before -- BATMAN BEGINS, ROBOCOP reboot. And now THE WOLVERINE, which was so close into production as his first Hollywood's big-budget project ever, has decided to walk away.
In an official interview between Aronofsky and Twentieth Century Fox, here are the following statements about the director's involvement in the movie, THE WOLVERINE:
Aronofsky: As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of ‘The Wolverine’ would keep me out of the country for almost a year. I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won’t be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again.
Fox: While we are of course disappointed that Darren can’t do ‘The Wolverine’, we also understand and respect his reasons. Having done both ‘The Wrestler’ and ‘Black Swan’ with Darren, we know he is an extraordinary talent and we look forward to working with him on other projects in the future. Hugh Jackman and Fox both remain fully committed to making ‘The Wolverine’. We will regroup and move forward aggressively.
This is definitely a heartbreaking news, considering that Aronofsky is an offbeat but very inspired choice to lift up THE WOLVERINE with a degree of success especially after the ill-fated effort of Gavin Hood's much-maligned X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (2009).
In the latest installment, the movie will be set in Japan. Christopher McQuarrie (THE TOURIST, VALKYRIE) penned the script.
(Source: The Wrap)