Last month we heard that director Darren Aronofsky and screenwriter David Self were still working on the Robocop script, no casting had been completed and MGM were aiming for a 2011 release. However, Aronofsky’s Black Swan is edging closer to being made, and that could cause some timing conflicts with MGM’s Robocop plans.
From Risky Business:
The director is on the verge of a deal that would have him helming passion project “Black Swan” later this year. While a few budget and financing issues on the Natalie Portman-toplined supernatural drama still need be to ironed out, people familiar with the situation say Aronofsky pretty much has indie financing for the pic set, with Fox Searchlight (which of course distribbed his “The Wrestler” last year) monitoring pre-production closely and potentially coming aboard at a later stage.
But a fall start has another potential consequence: it throws into question Aronofsky’s involvement on “Robocop,” the MGM reboot of the 1987 hit that has been a highly anticipated project for both MGM and the fanboy universe.
Though it would be a tight fit, MGM could essentially hit the pause button until early-mid 2010, when Aronofsky is finished with “Swan,” and still make its 2011 release-date target.
But insiders in the rep community say the studio has also quietly put out feelers for other directors who could come on to “Robocop” in case the timing doesn’t work out.
Darren Aronofsky has been slowly working on Robocop for a while, so it would be a shame for him to leave the project when things finally start to gain speed. Obviously, if MGM get a capable director then all will be fine, however if they ‘downgrade’ then we could have another unsuccessful reboot on our hands.
