Darren Aronofsky has a passion project and it isn't The Wolverine (although I'm sure he'll do a fine job with that movie).  Since he was 13-years-old, the Oscar-nominated director has wanted to do a movie based on the Bible's Noah.  However, since he doesn't have a greenlight on the project, Aronofsky is taking the route he did for The Fountain: graphic novel.  For those unfamiliar with the history of that project, The Fountain was originally intended to be a more expensive film and star Brad Pitt.  However, Pitt dropped out at the last minute and Aronofsky, still desperate to tell the story, decided to make a graphic novel instead.  He then re-constituted the film with a smaller budget and got it made.

Hit the jump for more on the project and to check out the first images plus a French trailer for Aronofsky's Noah graphic novel with artwork by Nico Henrichon (Pride of Baghdad).  The graphic novel is due out in 2012.

Click over to Bleeding Cool for more images.

Aronofsky told /Film in 2008:

It’s a great script and it’s huge. And we’re starting to feel out talent. And then we’ll probably try and set it up… It’s the end of the world and it’s the second most famous ship after the Titanic. So I’m not sure why any studio won’t want to make it…

"I think it’s really timely because it’s about environmental apocalypse which is the biggest theme, for me, right now for what’s going on on this planet. So I think it’s got these big, big themes that connect with us. Noah was the first environmentalist. He’s a really interesting character. Hopefully they’ll let me make it."

Aronofsky also sees Noah as struggling with survivor's guilt.  As he told The Guardian in 2007:

"It's there in the Bible - it was one of the first things he did when he reached land. There was some real survivor's guilt going on there. He's a dark, complicated character."

Trailer via /Film: