I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. I make no secret at all of the fact that I’m a HUGE admirer of Darren Aronofsky and I’ve been watching in agony as project after project has fallen apart on him … Seriously, this guy is just as snake bitten as Terry Gilliam when it comes to getting a project off the ground. The Batman picture he co-scripted with Frank Miller got the kibosh, who knows if his Lone Wolf and Cub adaptation will ever get off the ground, and most spectacularly his big budget sci-fi pic The Fountain got killed when star Brad Pitt walked out (reportedly because he couldn’t understand the script) a mere week before shooting was scheduled to start. Well, two sweeeeeet pieces of Aronofsky news have just bubbled to the surface …
First: The Fountain is back on with Hugh Jackman taking over the role that was to be Brad Pitt’s. Hugh makes me a happy man. Cate Blanchett, Ellen Burstyn, and Aronofsky regular Sean Gullette round out the cast.
Second: This is the biggie. Aint it Cool is reporting that once Aronofsky finishes work on The Fountain he’ll be moving on to make The Watchmen, a film based on the classic, Hugo Award winning, graphic novel. A Watchmen film has been rumored for at least ten years with a slew of directors names floating around, including Terry Gilliam’s at one point. The Watchmen is dense and difficult yet stunning material if handled correctly, and my money says Aronofsky’s the right guy. Whee!
