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

"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," he added.u00a0"Noah" is due to begin filming in July this year and the film is expected to release March 28, 2014.