Much like we have spent the past few months poring over on-set photos of Captain America, Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean, next summer looks like being spent doing the same thing with Batman, Superman and now Wolverine.
Variety are reporting that The Wolverine, as it is now titled, will start shooting in April, presumably eyeing a release date during the summer of 2012. Looks like 2012 is shaping up to be a Marvel/DC Royal Rumble, with The Avengers, The Wolverine, The Dark Knight Rises and Superman: Man of Steel all competing for a hefty slice of the box-office pie.
In addition, Variety are saying that 20th Century Fox have signed Darren Aronofsky (director of The Wolverine) and his production company Protozoa Pictures to a two-year deal, through which they will develop and produce his films, either through 20th Century Fox or Fox Searchlight Pictures. Fox produced and distributed Aronofsky’s Black Swan, as well as distributing The Wrestler and clearly like what they see from him. Fox Searchlight heads Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley said:-
“Darren’s vision has brought audiences some of the most original and memorable stories and characters in recent motion picture history. We at Fox witnessed this first hand with his work on ‘The Wrestler’ and ‘Black Swan’ and now on ‘The Wolverine,’ which will be an exciting take on that iconic figure and on the genre itself.”
20th Century Fox already have producing deals with Shawn Levy (Night At The Museum, Date Night), Ben Stiller, James Cameron, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott and this latest deal surely qualifies as another feather in their prestigious cap.
