Russell Crowe to star as Noah

He's best known for his roles in Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind, but now Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe landed the role of Noah in a movie adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark.

Hollywood star Crowe has picked up the role of a stubborn, heavy drinking, action man.

Although he's no Charlton Heston, Crowe has been confirmed as the latest Hollywood star to pick up the role of a Biblical hero.

Paramount Pictures and New Regency Productions confirmed this week that Crowe would play the lead role in "Noah" which is set to be released in the US in March 2014.

The film is said to "a close adaptation" of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark, in which Noah is given a divine mission of building an ark to save creation from the impending flood.

"Noah" will be directed Darren Aronofsky, director of Black Swan which last year earned its lead actress, Natalie Portman, the Oscar for Best Actress.

Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Blood Diamond) has been cast as Russell Crowe's co-star in the film, playing his wife, while there are also unconfirmed reports that Liam Neeson (Schindler's List, Star Wars: Episode 1) will star as the villain.

Aronofsky said: "I'd like to thank Paramount and Regency for backing my team's work to breathe new life into the biblical epic.

"I rejoice that Russell Crowe will be by my side on this adventure. It's his immense talent that helps me to sleep at night. I look forward to being wowed by him every day."

Australian born Crowe recently spent time in the UK filming scenes for the movie adaptation of the long-running musical Les Miserables, in which he plays Inspector Javert.

His previous films include State of Play and his Oscar-nominated A Beautiful Mind and Gladiator - for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.

"Noah" will begin filming this July in Iceland and New York.