Earlier this month it was rumored that Crowe and Liam Neeson were being eyed for the two major parts in Darren Aronofsky's biblical film, Noah. It's based on the dude with the boat, yes. Crowe would go on to confirm he was interested in the project, but now today Variety reports that he has formally entered negotiations to be the headliner in what will surely be a departure from the version of Noah's story we all know. For instance, there will be a major villain for Noah to contend with, not just torrential rainstorms and possible flooding.
Crowe makes for a smart pick, because what Warner Brothers needed was an A-lister who can sell this thing on name alone, helping to justify the hefty price tag. He also makes for a suitable replacement for Christian Bale, who dropped out of the film awhile back, and a much safer bet than Michael Fassbender who was also mentioned. Now hopefully Neeson can be locked up in time for production to start on schedule in July. Staying diverse in the films he undertakes, Crowe will likely be seen next in Tom Hooper's musical Les Miserables, or possibly in The Man with the Iron Fist directed by Wu-Tang Clan member the Rza. Next year he'll appear in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel as well as Broken City from Allen Hughes.
