Iron Man Pushed Back Until 2007

New Line and Marvel Studios announced last November that they had signed Nick Cassavetes ("The Notebook") to direct Iron Man, but it turns out there was never a done deal, reports Variety.

Cassavetes is in fact still not on board and has not held talks to direct the film for several months, adds the trade. He is, however, working on a rewrite of the script by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and David Hayter.

Cassavetes is still in the running to direct, however, and New Line remains committed to making the film. But with no director on board and casting yet to begin, the studio has delayed the film's planned release from 2006 to 2007.

"We want Nick to make the movie. We had him," Marvel Studios' Avi Arad said. "He's an 'Iron Man' aficionado. Everything was fine and then negotiations got delayed. We lost a year."

Arad is producing Iron Man with Angry Films' Don Murphy.