Aronofsky has cancelled all filming on the movie, which is being shot in New York City, while cast members including Russell Crowe, Emma Watson and Sir Anthony Hopkins weather out the storm currently tearing up the East Coast of America.

The film is based on the biblical tale about the titular character building an ark to save the inhabitants of the world from a forthcoming flood.

The strangeness of the situation wasn’t lost on Emma Watson, who took to the social media website Twitter to say: “I take it that the irony of a massive storm holding up the production of Noah is not lost @DarrenAronofsky @russellcrowe”.

Aronofsky is reported to be worried about the fate of his two giant purpose-built arks, one inside a Brooklyn sound stage, the other moored in New York’s Oyster Bay where flooding and wind gusts of up to 63 mph have been reported.

Production was scheduled to finish soon so the outdoor ark – which is not sea-worthy and measures 450 feet long, 75 feet tall and 45 feet wide – has been partially dismantled. But it is feared costly repairs could be necessary, the Los Angeles Times newspaper is reporting.

Noah is set for release in March 2014.