In an unusual move, Paramount Pictures has disputed a media story about an upcoming film. The film in question is Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, opening in theaters on March 28 and starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman and Nick Nolte.
Here’s the statement from the studio about a report that was published by Variety:
Paramount Pictures, distributor of Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming feature film “NOAH,” strongly disputes the inaccurate media story from Variety, who reported on a religious survey from the Faith Driven Consumer.
The question posed asked respondents if they were “satisfied with a biblically themed movie — designed to appeal to you — which replaces the Bible’s core message with one created by Hollywood.”
The survey question that had the 98% response rate did not contain any reference to the film “NOAH,” despite the fact that the Variety reporting implied that it did, and research from industry-leading firms about the upcoming epic paints a very different picture.
Nielsen’s National Research Group (NRG), the industry’s decades long standard for measuring pre-release tracking of feature films (and other entertainment offerings), is tracking “NOAH” and has gauged, with still six weeks to go before the film’s release and from self-defined “very religious” moviegoers, that 83% of those aware of “NOAH” in the pre-release tracking have expressed interest in seeing film.
Others in the Christian research field, including the Barna Group, the 30-year-old research and resource company widely considered to be a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture, have had a similar response to NRG in their own pre-release research done of behalf of “NOAH,” including the fact that 86% of Christian respondents who are aware of the film said they would recommend “NOAH” to their friends.
Additionally, Barna Group’s President David Kinnaman noted, “On our survey conducted over February 13th through February 15th, we found the majority of pastors would recommend that people see the film Noah.”
“NOAH,” from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises, stars Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe in the title role in the film inspired by the epic story of courage, sacrifice and hope. Directed by visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins and Logan Lerman also star. The film was written by Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel and produced by Scott Franklin, Darren Aronofsky, Mary Parent and Arnon Milchan.
