(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Darren Aronofsky decided to pull out of The Wolverine because he wasnt comfortable being apart from his family.

Movie fans were thrilled when it was revealed the 42-year-old US director would be at the helm of the action film, which will be a sequel to the 2009 smash X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

But now Darren has withdrawn from his director role, as he was uncomfortable with all the travelling that would be involved. The film will primarily be shot in Japan, and Darren didnt want to be kept apart from his loved-ones, notably four-year-old Henry Chance, his son with ex-fiance Rachel Weisz.

"As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of The Wolverine would keep me out of the country for almost a year. I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time, he lamented in a statement released by Fox.

The iconic director, who enjoyed vast crucial acclaim this year for twisted thriller Black Swan, is happy with his decision, although does still have some regrets. He is disappointed that he wont get the chance to work with the films star Hugh Jackman again, having previously collaborated with him in 2006s The Fountain.

I am sad that I won't be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again, he added.

The Wolverine is set for release in 2012, and will see the title character travel to Japan to train with a samurai fighter. (C) Cover Media