LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Darren Aronofsky is in -- and Ben Affleck is out of -- the running to direct the new Superman movie at Warner Bros.

Word began to leak last week of directors who were meeting or will meet with producer Christopher Nolan and Warner brass for the relaunch of one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.

Duncan Jones (“Moon”), Jonathan Liebesman (“Battle: Los Angeles”), Matt Reeves (“Let Me In”), Tony Scott (“The Taking of Palham 1 2 3”) and Zack Snyder (“Legend of the Guardians”) are on the list.

And so was Affleck, who is extremely popular at Warners after making “The Town,” a critical and box-office hit. But according to insiders, the actor-director -- who, coincidentally, once portrayed the actor who played Superman on TV in “Hollywoodland” -- is no longer pursuing it.

Aronofsky, riding high on buzz generated by his upcoming “Black Swan,” is still in active talks, according to sources. But it’s early.

If he were to get the gig, there would be some irony: a decade ago, Aronofsky was attached to direct a Batman movie loosely based on a storyline written by Frank Miller. That didn’t happen, and it paved the way for Nolan to direct “Batman Begins.”

Nolan and his producer-wife Emma Thomas will be heavily involved in the movie, so he’s looking for a director who is able to handle the elaborate production and willing to collaborate.