
Evidently, Russell Crowe’s passionate Twitter request to meet with Pope Francis and screen his new biblical blockbuster almost worked. Variety is reporting that director Darren Aronofsky and star Russell Crowe were scheduled to meet with the pope for a photo-op, but it was called off by the Vatican at the last minute. According to the entertainment industry magazine, “The meeting was tentatively on the calendar for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the VIP section so the pope could figuratively lend a blessing to the $125 million biblical epic. The reason the Vatican cancelled it, according to a source, is over concerns word would leak, causing a spectacle as Crowe and Aronofsky landed in Rome.” So far, among faith leaders who’ve watched pre-screenings, the film’s biblical message has received some positive reviews …