After the travesties that were X3: THE LAST STAND and X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, we were all looking forward to what magic Darren Aronofsky would bring to the world of X-Men’s most famous character. The script was awesome, Hugh Jackman was getting pumped, and we had good reviews all around.
Today, though, the big bump in the road has been hit, as it’s being reported that Darren Aronofsky has left THE WOLVERINE. According to Deadline, Aronofsky released a statement:
“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.”
Twentieth Century Fox also commented, saying:
“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.”
It is a sad day, indeed. No word, yet, on who would replace Aronofsky in the director’s chair, but we will keep you updated as soon as news breaks.