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Darren Aronofsky Quits Wolverine 2, But the Reality Is, He Was Never On It in the First Place

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (21)

wolverine-20061030012653559.jpg

Word came down today that Darren Aronofsky, the Oscar-nominated director of Black Swan, would no longer be directing Wolverine 2, citing travel concerns. Others suggest that the real reason is because Fox wouldn’t give him the sort of control over the project that Warner Brothers gives Christopher Nolan on the The Dark Knight flicks.

But the reality is this: Darren Aronofsky was never attached to direct Wolverine 2. It was all a conspiracy by the movie blogger contingent to create page views. They have had a field day with this story, first floating rumors that Aronofsky would direct, then posting stories confirming it, and now, announcing that Aronofsky has dropped out of the project. That’s three to ten highly-trafficked posts, depending on the site, all for nothing except for providing a little piece of their souls to the ringleader, Nikki Finke. That’s how she gets all those scoops over at Deadline — she exchanges pieces of other people’s souls for them (having given away her entire soul by 1989).

Indeed, I stand by what I wrote in an exclusive last October:

Folks, despite what Deadline might have you believe, Aronofsky is not going to direct Wolverine 2. And I’ll tell you why. It’s simple: Aronofsky makes good movies (OK, there may be some debate about The Fountain, but still). Aronofsky is not going to pull a Ratner and take a sequel to a shitty spin-off movie. He’s got more sense than that. He took six years off between Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain. The man has patience, and he knows that Black Swan is going to fetch him much better offers than Woflman Jackman in Japan.

So, if you’ve read headlines suggesting that Aronofky is going to direct Wolverine 2, don’t worry about it.

It’s as true today as it was in October: Darren Aronofsky will never direct Wolverine 2.










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Comments

You nailed it.

Posted by: John W at March 17, 2011 6:33 PM

Dr. Peter Venkman: I'm gonna take back some of the things I said about you, Egon.

[pulls out candy bar]

Dr. Peter Venkman: You... You've earned it

-Frob

Posted by: frobme at March 17, 2011 7:24 PM

So you mean those other sites posted that knowing it was false? Or posted in not knowing it was total bull?

WHOA!!!

Posted by: junierizzle at March 17, 2011 7:25 PM

I don't care who directs it, I don't care how bad it is, I don't care how much I hate myself afterward. I will watch anything that has Hugh Jackman dressed up as Wolverine. His normal self does nothing at all for me, but put him in that ridiculous hair and eyebrows, a white tank top, lots of dirt and sweat and blood and I'm turn into a puddle of goo.

There might be something wrong with me.

Posted by: figgy at March 17, 2011 7:32 PM

The Fountain is one of the most brilliant films in a very long time, let's not pretend that it is not. The level of emotion in that movie is absolutely astounding, and there is nothing that compares.

It is my favorite movie!

Posted by: Spiffy McFly at March 17, 2011 7:34 PM

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

That's why he asked HJ to change his entire look for the film.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/dailydish/detail?entry_id=82462

Posted by: meh at March 17, 2011 7:36 PM

The real problem is Fox. Here's a list of shitstinkysmellygarbage they've produced as "Superhero" films:

--LXG
--Daredevil and Elektra
--Both Fantastic Fours
--The Wolverine Movie That Didn't Happen
--X-3
--The parts of X-2 that get glossed over because they made nice casting choices in the original.

The reason that they get away with this shit is because it works at the box office. With the exception of Elektra, each of those films was over $100m, the Fucktastic 4 films made a combined $600m or so.

They aren't interested in making a "good" movie, they're more interested in making a "profitable" one. The marketing, the toys, the 7-11 slushies, it's all force fed so god damn much that is passes through the great Human Centipede chain of movie-goers until even the most skeptical, rage-filled link in the chain (hint: the last one) has to devour some piece of it. And as much of this sucks, it's a pretty damn good business model.

These are the "Jon Peters Superhero Movies".
These are the "Happy Meal Superhero Movies".

And people go see them. So we have to deal with it.

Posted by: D-Day at March 17, 2011 8:14 PM

But Chris Nolan proved that audiences will also flock to, at least, the Chili's of Superhero Movies. I guess some of us were hoping that Wolverine had become a begin enough property (like Batman) for Fox to feel comfortable taking a (very calculated) risk to stretch themselves. I'll keep my fingers crossed until the next announcement.

Dustin, where are you getting this conspiracy theory from? Hugh Jackman's been talking about Aronofsky since before that "announcement", so... is he part of it, too?

Posted by: RobP at March 17, 2011 8:58 PM

I'm grumbling at the Nolan dig, but that's not worth getting into.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_superhero_films

Check the "Worldwide Gross" column.

Batman Begins

And the FF movies did, on average, $300m+. We can argue nerd points all night long, but any studio head is just going to point at the dollar signs and say that what they do works. It's inarguable until a movie of that magnitude actually bombs financially, and not critically. Depressing how even LXG and Dorkdevil did $180m.

Posted by: D-Day at March 17, 2011 9:12 PM

*note*

Meant to point out that:

Batman Begins made less than Wolvy which made less than X2 which made less than X3.

I'm with ya RobP, but it's a sad, cruel world we live in.

Posted by: D-Day at March 17, 2011 9:14 PM

I just posted a link to this article on one of the sites that has been reporting on this story for weeks. I asked them if it was true. My comment was deleted.

What up with that?

Posted by: junierizzle at March 17, 2011 9:50 PM

this f*cking blows!

n Hugh's heart better not burst from a 6000 calorie a day diet for what is now going to be a shitty movie.

unless they get Matthew Vaughn on board. the First Class trailer looks promising for a studio interference movie. but then again the first wolverine had an awesome trailer too. Arrrgh!

Posted by: haplo at March 17, 2011 10:05 PM

Forgive me for not paying attention, but was this thing, "We've going to Japan and filming Clarmont & Miller's 1982 miniseries"?

They would have fucked it *all* up then. Besides, Aronofsky's style would have been much better suited to the skull-fucking in Kitty Pryde and Wolverine. And with the right Natalie Portman, he could have gotten some more Oscar nominations!

Posted by: idiosynchronic at March 17, 2011 10:29 PM

What I thought interesting was how much nicer the tone of Fox's statement was in comparison to that *other* occasion when Matthew Vaughan left X-Men 3.

As I recall that press statement included some snark about the English director not realising the filming would mean having to leave home and family for a protracted period of time. Here Aronofsky's stated reasons are the same, but the wording is far more tactful.

Oh and Vaughan? Got his English shoot with First Class. Innn-teresting.

Posted by: Somnopolis at March 17, 2011 11:56 PM

Sorry, gotta call this one out. Aronofsky was on NPR a couple of months doing Black Swan promotion, and he said himself that his next project was to be Wolverine. He wanted the "challenge".

Here's a link to the transcript:
http://www.wbur.org/npr/131788335/darren-aronofsky-on-budgets-bad-apples-and-black-swan

Go towards the bottom. Robert Siegal brings it up first.

Posted by: Kaleena at March 18, 2011 12:24 AM

Meant to point out that:
Batman Begins made less than Wolvy which made less than X2 which made less than X3.
I'm with ya RobP, but it's a sad, cruel world we live inAs I recall that press statement included some snark about the English director not realising the filming would mean having to leave home and family for a protracted period of time. Here Aronofsky's stated reasons are the same, but the wording is far more tactful.

Posted by: cosplay wigs at March 18, 2011 4:22 AM

So Dustin has declared war on some of the other movie sites! I find the prospect tantalizing.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at March 18, 2011 10:12 AM

D-Day, sorry, I wasn't trying to poke the Nolan bear. I love his movies, every single one of them, especially his Batman flicks, and while they're steak and potatoes compared to most of the fast food superhero movies, if I'm being as objective as I know how to be, I can't say they necessarily belong in the pantheon of the greatest movies of all time. They might belong in my favorites, but along with Terry Gilliam, they'll never be accepted as unequivocally "great" movies by the majority. They won't ever be Citizen Kane, is what I mean. Hence, the "Chili's" line.

I still think it's hilarious that Dustin makes these bold statements and then doesn't back them up with evidence or facts. I'm fully willing to believe there was something shady going on, but where's the smoking gun, man?

Posted by: RobP at March 18, 2011 1:10 PM

Frankly, RobP, at this time of year, I review all suspicious activity as potential April Fools gags. I can be and am wrong.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at March 18, 2011 1:23 PM

There is a much more simple answer. This film was supposed to film in Japan this summer. Do you think anyone wants to go to Japan right now? Do you think Japan is capable of being host to a $200 million dollar movie right now? They are just using this as an excuse. A way for the Japanese to save face. And that is fine.

Posted by: Sean at March 18, 2011 2:29 PM

Both of those make sense, Mrs. J and Sean. Though, one is clearly more depressing than the other.

(I hate April Fool's Day.)

Posted by: RobP at March 18, 2011 3:30 PM