Russell Crowe - Russell Crowe Playing Noah In Darren Aronofsky's Noah's Ark

The Gladiator actor has long been tipped to lead the biblical epic, and finally signed on to the project last week. Announcing the news, Aronofsky said, "I rejoice that Russell Crowe will be by my side on this adventure. It's his immense talent that helps me to sleep at night". Continuing his praise for Crowe, he added that he is looking forward to being "wowed" by the star on-set. It's unclear who will join the 48-year-old in the cast, though Liam Neeson is understood to be close to agreeing a deal for a major role. The movie will begin shooting in Iceland and New York this summer, and is expected to hit screens in 2014. According to Collider.com, the movie is "a close adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark, in which the titular Noah is given a divine mission of building an ark to save creation from the impending flood".

Aronofsky has written the screenplay himself, with revisions made by John Logan, best known for penning Gladiator, Hugo and the forthcoming Steven Spielberg movie 'Lincoln'.