Pope Francis canceled his meeting with preternaturally angry actor Russell Crowe.
The pope was going to have a meet-and-greet with Crowe, director Darren Aronofsky and some Paramount executives so that he could bless a screening of “Noah.” But according to Variety, il papa canceled the Wednesday meeting after news of the meeting was leaked.
Aronofksy’s $125 million epic has been controversial among religious groups for the movie’s depiction of the epic biblical story. The studio already added a disclaimer to the beginning of the film after test audiences were upset with the interpretation of the story:
“The film is inspired by the story of Noah,” it reads.”While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The Biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.”
The project has been troubled from the start, with actress Emma Watson saying that Aronofsky’s working conditions were brutal. Aronofksy and Paramount also butted heads over the ending of the film.
“Noah,” which hits theaters March 28 in the U.S., has already been banned in the United Arab Emirates after it was deemed “contradictory” to both Islam and Christianity.