ANOTHER GEEK LETDOWN: ARONOFSKY WALKS FROM WOLVERINE

Damn.

Translation: Black Swan made a goddamn mint, "one for them" postponed!

No, but seriously, I'm not heartbroken. Jackman might be, but I'm not.

Damn!

Someone pass on Pierre Morel's name as a replacement before he gets signed on to Taken 2.

I'm guessing the fact that Black Swan finally gave Aronofsky a hit made this an easier decision to make. He doesn't need to do the superhero sell out move now, and whatever he makes instead is all but guaranteed to be more interesting than this.

Fuck. I was insanely curious to see what he would do.

While I'm sure being away from his family was a concern before the nuclear meltdowns, I don't think it's a coincidence that he's bowing out now.

Damn it this sucks.  I do wonder if this is the true story.  I mean how long does it take to read a script and then realize how long you will be out of the country?  Well hopefully a watchable movie will still be made but I am not expecting this to be anything groundbreaking anymore.

It sucks when you know you're gonna get a significant downgrade when a filmmaker leaves a project. It sucks even more if Aronofsky is one of your favorite directors and Wolverine one of your all-time favorite comic book characters. This genuinely bums me out. But hey, maybe Takeshi Kitano, my IDEAL Wolverine director, is free. Or are they just going to go back to that jackass who directed RED?

Renn's picking up some of Elisabeth's optimism. This is Fox. With Aronofsky gone, my ability to hope this turns out well tanks.

And I second the nerd disgruntlement. I would have loved to have seen what magic Aronofsky would have wrought with the character and setting.

Good. Because fuck Wolverine. Fuck him right in his over-exposed ass.

Aronofsky deserves better.

I know Aronofsky wants to be authentic but I don't see why he can't just film the entire production in the US. We have the technology.

I looked into my ball of the future...

Today - Darren claims he doesn't want to spend time away from his family

Next Week - Reports that Fox and Darren weren't seeing eye to eye on somethings

Two Weeks - Brett Ratner has been hired, and Fox is excited to see the former X-Men director return.  Hugh Jackman insists this is the best X-Men film he has been apart of.

Next Month - Turns out Darren was unhappy with the last minute rewrites Fox was forcing upon him

Three Months - Darren was mad that Fox was taking away control of the film from him, and decided just to leave when he saw the new script, that included new plot elements and character cameos that took away from the original script he agreed to direct. 

Six Months - Shooting delays, constant rewrites, but Jackman stays optomistic.

Two months before release - Fox releases the film onto the internet, claiming it was stolen.  Movie is panned.

Release Date - Movie opens modestly, but Fox blames the internet leak, and not the quality of the film for it not being more of a hit.

Two Months after release - Jackman expresses his displeasure of the film, says it was a mess of a script and Ratner did what he could given the time, restraints, studio medling, and constant rewrites that were happening daily.  Hugh comments "I am done with Wolverine and going back to dancing".

One Year after release - Jackman expresses interest in returning to the role, and giving the fans a true "Wolverine Film"

For what it's worth, I recall hearing a rumor where Jackman was asked by the studio who should direct the first Wolverine, and he said, "Anybody but Brett Ratner." I do hope that is true.

Good.  Wolverine is played out.  Much rather see DA work on something original and/or more interesting. 

But first he's got to get rid of that fucking horrible mustache. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelM 

Renn's picking up some of Elisabeth's optimism. This is Fox. With Aronofsky gone, my ability to hope this turns out well tanks.

 

And I second the nerd disgruntlement. I would have loved to have seen what magic Aronofsky would have wrought with the character and setting.

Oddly enough, on this news item I have no optimism, and I'm in the "fuck it!" crowd.  I feel like Aronofsky could have held out against Fox's meddling.  Unless there has been real magic wrought at the studio by First Class and Vaughn, I just don't see any director coming in and being able to hold out against Rothman's micro-management.

Aronofsky was the sole reason I held out hope for a Wolverine sequel.  I just see it going the way of Origin now. 

The story is fishy.  El Mayimbe of Latino Review insists it was "baby mama drama" due to his split with Weisz.  Others think it was due to the disaster in Japan, but come on. Aronofsky could film it in New Zealand like The Last Samurai did.    He's either trying to be ultra-polite to Fox (and I don't see why they couldn't just use the old "creative differences" excuse if that's the case), or ultra evasive about his personal life. Very weird, anyway. How the hell do you sign onto something and not realize "how long" it would require filming overseas?

anyone else remember when Matthew Vaughn said kind of the same thing when he left X-3?  Yah, turned out that was mostly BS too.  Just wait, it will turn out Fox didn't like the level of control Darren wanted, and decided to push him out so they could hire a more "manageable" director.

Why do I see "The Wolverine" from the director of "Terminator Salvation", in the near future?

Good! Now he can focus his creative energies where they should've been all along: the Robocop remake! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JacknifeJohnny 

Translation: Black Swan made a goddamn mint, "one for them" postponed!

 

I might be way wrong, but that was my thought as well.
 

Elisabeth Rappe, This is...X-Cellent News!  Now, maybe a...Good director, or at least one better than Darren Aronofsky, can direct...The Wolverine.  I say, Fox should hire...Ryuhei Kitamura.  An excellent action director that lives in Japan, that directed both, The...Awesome action films like, Azumi, Versus, and Godzilla Final Wars!

Wolverine was involved in a fight in Three Mile Island, right? Weird.

Seriously asking. Why did he need a year outside USA? Why not filming in the States?

I know about the Japan plot. What I still don't get is stuff like having to book  an actor 6 months to do little more than an extended cameo like it happened over the X-men films several times.

Aronofsky has reaaallllly wanted to do a comic book movie though. He's danced with so goddamn many at this point that I really thought the "one for them" angle was a nice way to explain his nerding out on a tentpole picture.  

Deadline is echoing the story that Aronofsky was forced to walk due to custody issues with Rachel Weisz.

So you can blame Daniel Craig for all of this.

Makes sense. I also blame Daniel Craig for a lot, mostly to do with creating yet another impossible standard of manliness for me to live up to. I think that's what Aronofsky's mustache was all about.

Yeah, this is a bullshit excuse. Hopefully Aronofsky will soon announce, in completely unrelated news, that he has secured funding for one of his many other dream projects that don't involve goddamned superheroes. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elisabeth Rappe 

So you can blame Daniel Craig for all of this.

Pure cocksmanship.

I'm just loving the idea that to make himself more manly, Aronofsky grew a mustache. That's awesome.

Yeah, this sucks. as Barkathemoon said, a Berserker Rage shot through a Snorricam would have been amazing. Too many great possibilities that would have happened if he would have stayed on. He's fighting for his kid though, and that certainly takes number 1 priority over a movie. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elisabeth Rappe 

Deadline is echoing the story that Aronofsky was forced to walk due to custody issues with Rachel Weisz.

 

So you can blame Daniel Craig for all of this.

Living abroad for that long could cause legal issues for DA's shared custody (if that is the agreement they have), and if Rachel wanted to press things. I remember a selfish art-schoolmate of mine signing over rights to his kids, just so he could leave the state if he wanted.
 

Meanwhile, Gavin Hood makes sure the ringtone volume on his cell phone is turned up all the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

Good. Because fuck Wolverine. Fuck him right in his over-exposed ass.

 

Aronofsky deserves better.

Seconded. I wasn't opposed to the idea of Aronofsky doing this, but I'd rather see him do something other than dip his pen into the X-Men universe.

what's Francis Lawrence doing after that Pattinson flick? If Fox needs someone to come in, he could make something salvagable out of it all, and he has the tentpole experience already (Constantine, I Am Legend). If the script is, in fact, good Lawrence could do a decent job...

Well, Aronofsky gave David O. Russell The Fighter already. Maybe Darren can return the favor?

I say good for him.  He's too good for this.

HarleyQuinn22, I am fine with Aronofsky...Dropping out of directing, The Wolverine!  I would much rather have a...more X-Ceptional director in charge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

Good. Because fuck Wolverine. Fuck him right in his over-exposed ass.

 

Aronofsky deserves better.

Thank you. The only reason I was interested in seeing this go forward was for Jackman. Aronofsky doesn't need a fucking superhero film on his resume. 

Fuck it, hire Takashi Miike.

Aronofsky didn't need a superhero film.  The superhero film needed someone like him to get me really excited about a Wolverine movie.  I get why someone would think that this is actually good news.  But I was very interested in seeing what Aronofsky could bring to the table with this movie. 

We know what highs he's capable of when left to his own devices and put upon with a budget and schedule that's never enough.  I was excited to see what he would do in this toy box, for good or ill.  It would've been a 'stretch' for him, and he's definitely seems to be interested in working within the superhero film. 

I also wanted to see him work with Jackman again, because they worked so well together in their previous collaboration.

It's not a huge loss (I'm also tired of the constant stream of superhero movies) as long as Aronofsky continues to make films I love, but this remains a disappointment for me.

mcnooj82, Don't worry, there will be...Plenty more Superhero films arriving in the next few years. Even without...The Wolverine in 2012, there will be at least...11 between this year and next!  I would...Love to see, Ryuhei Kitamura, direct a big budget Wolverine film.  I will take...Azumi, Versus, and Godzilla Final Wars, over anything...Aronofsky has directed, especially...Black Bird!...Err, Black Swan!

Not sure where they were planning to shoot in Japan, but since its a Earthquake, tsunami, radiation ravaged country now, couldn't they maybe move the production to Canada or something?

sad face. I know that many think that this is 'above' Darrens level, and it is. The fun would have been seeing him bring Wolverine to his level. I'd much rather see him make a hit out of something that isn't his normal 'field' rather then jump into something easy.

Anyway, bring on the Fox-loving Yes Man for this.

Isn't SInger looking for an entry back into the X-Universe?

The Wolverine seemed interesting because Darren promised to go AWAY from the established Singer tone and world.

WIth the first three flicks I see personality and sexuality issues, lots of moping, sadness and characters not knowing where they belong to. Of course emotional characters and their arcs are what make serious movies work - but I think it doesn't really work in these flicks. The opening scene of X1 is promising - I give it that - but afterwards it thinks of itself as so deep, so tragic and emotional. It's not. Also, everyone just feels like he needs a big hug. Xavier just wants Erik to stop killing people. Erik wants to be hugged and accepted by humans. Wolverine needs a family hug and Stryker one from his son, knowing that he's okay. And Rogue wants to be able to be hugged and gets jealous when Kitty threatens to be hugged instead. Everyone's screaming for attention, love and acception. And the final bits of each movie feel incredibly forced. X2. Now Magneto wants to kill ALL HUMANS on the planet? Seriously.

TDK played the same strings and won. Why? Because the world actually feels real and interesting. There's atmosphere while the world of the X flicks mostly feels barren and cold. The TDK soundtrack underlines the emotional distress so much more effective than the one in the X series does. Plus: the Joker is actually really evil. He's a real threat and not just an old gentleman whose politics intending good things for 'his people' have failed lately. The Dent/Rachel stuff in TDK doesn't hit hard, but Bale does an immensely better job at being moved by what happens around him. Which of course is a lot easier when you're a fragile human being instead of an invincible super human that barely ages and can't be killed. It's difficult to feel for Wolverine because he's indestructible, it's difficult to feel for the team when everyone's thoughtful and in bad mood all the time, and it's difficult to be against the evil ones when they're mostly good and working for a good cause.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Myers 

The Wolverine seemed interesting because Darren promised to go AWAY from the established Singer tone and world.

 

WIth the first three flicks I see personality and sexuality issues, lots of moping, sadness and characters not knowing where they belong to. Of course emotional characters and their arcs are what make serious movies work - but I think it doesn't really work in these flicks. The opening scene of X1 is promising - I give it that - but afterwards it thinks of itself as so deep, so tragic and emotional. It's not. Also, everyone just feels like he needs a big hug. Xavier just wants Erik to stop killing people. Erik wants to be hugged and accepted by humans. Wolverine needs a family hug and Stryker one from his son, knowing that he's okay. And Rogue wants to be able to be hugged and gets jealous when Kitty threatens to be hugged instead. Everyone's screaming for attention, love and acception. And the final bits of each movie feel incredibly forced. X2. Now Magneto wants to kill ALL HUMANS on the planet? Seriously.

This is such a bizarre misrepresentation of the first two movies. And I don't even LIKE Singer's X-Men stuff all that much.
 

See, for me the latter character - Malcolm X with superpowers - is more interesting than the Psychopathic/Agent of Chaos/Force of Nature whathaveyou that is TDK's Joker.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Myers 

 

Plus: the Joker is actually really evil. He's a real threat and not just an old gentleman whose politics intending good things for 'his people' have failed

lately.

If Darren has dropped out due to custody issues with Rachel Weisz, then I can't really get upset about this.  It sucks, but it is understandable.  As for replacement directors, I suspect Fox is going to do their best to get a choice that at least somewhat continues the goodwill they received upon hiring Aronofsky.  Fox and particularly Hugh Jackman want this film to work.  If it doesn't (and if First Class doesn't), they are going to be up the creek without a paddle on one of their big franchises.

I'm baffled by this sudden confidence in Fox's decision-making abilities.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Merriweather 

I'm baffled by this sudden confidence in Fox's decision-making abilities.

A-friggin'-men. Aronofsky was the only reason I was interested in this project. Short of someone with Nolan or Cameron-like weight direecting, Fox will be ruining this film no matter who helms it.

I don't have confidence in Fox decision making when it comes to creative choices.  Make no mistake, hiring Aronosfky was NOT a creative choice for them.  It was a business one.  Jackman wanted Darren onboard and Fox knew that most fans would be really happy about it.  X-Men 3 and Wolverine have been trashed by fans and non-fans a like.  They know that to continue down that road will just bury the franchise and end with the rights being back with Marvel.  This is a flagship franchise for them and they don't want that to happen.  Basically, if they can pop out two films in the series that make the fans happy and make them a ton of money.............it will buy them some time.  Will they give us more crappy X-Men movies?  Most definitely.  It's Fox, after all.  Hell, these both might not turn out too well. 

The only reason they are trying to give us what we want is because they know it is financially in their best interests.  The minute they think they can rush and/or cheap out on another installment, they will do it in a heartbeat.  As it stands, they are placating the fanboys at the time being by hiring two popular directors and letting them have their way.  I suspect that whoever they hire to replace Darren will follow along this line.  That and Hugh has director=approval.  You have to remember that Fox doesn't have too many ongoing franchises at the moment.  That's why a Die Hard 5 is on the way.  That's why they are rebooting Daredevil and Fantastic 4.  That's why they bought the Narnia series.  And that's why they are trying to keep this franchise in a positive light at this point in time.  Hiring Vaughn and Aronofsky were goodwill moves that they hope/hoped would translate to more money.  Neither director is a particularly successful one at the box office, but they are in good standing with the fanbase.

Now the question is, who will we get as a replacement?  Especially since the other top contenders have moved on to other projects set for a 2012 release....

Best guess?  It will be a journeyman director whose schedule is free and whose attachment won't piss off the fanboys.  I just hope it is someone skilled enough to make a decent sequel out of a supposedly good script.