Nicolas Cage Leaves Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler; Enter Mickey Rourke

Some believe in Harvey Dent, but I believe in Darren Aronofsky. Requiem for a Dream is one of my favorite films of all time. The Fountain was on my top ten list from last year. But the filmmaker doesn't have good luck with actors. Brad Pitt notoriously left Aronofsky hanging high and dry on The Fountain just days before filming was to begin because he "lost faith in the project". And now Nicolas Cage has mysteriously left Darren Aronofsky's upcoming indie drama The Wrestler, just days after Aronofsky and Cage were seen researching the project at a independent Ring of Honor event. Makes you wonder what caused Cage to flee from the project. There is no official word on why he left. But fear not Aronofsky fans, the film has not fallen into development hell. Aronofsky has found a replacement...

Mickey Rourke.

Okay, so he's not as big of a name as Nicolas Cage (which will likely hurts the film's box office performance), but Rourke was everyone's favorite part of Sin City. He's a good actor who is perfect for this role. At one point, Rourke even took time away from his screen career to become a boxer. Rourke was arrested a couple days ago for a DUI in Miami Beach, riding his blue-green Vespa.

Aronofsky and Robert Siegel's screenplay follows Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Rourke), an old burnt-out pro wrestler who suffers a heart attack in the ring. His doctor warns him that if he ever fights again, he would be risking his own life. In an effort to build a new life, Robinson takes a job at a deli, moves in with an aging stripper and tries to build a relationship with her son. But Robinson gets lured in one, possibly fatal, last rematch with his old nemesis the Ayatollah.

The Wrestler begins filming in January.

source: Variety