We're not sure how many impatient fans it takes to make something "long-awaited," but we'll give Lionsgate's Angelina Jolie-starring adaptation of Atlas Shrugged the benefit of the doubt — especially now that the attached director Vadim Perelman has officially left Objectivist headquarters:

It may or may not still be moving forward, but I have it from the most reliable source possible — Perelman himself — that it will not be going forward with him at the helm. ... Perelman was attached, and I can say with as much certainty as one can possibly have about a situation like this that the decision to step down was on Perelman's side.

Some fans of Ayn Rand's book are already bemoaning the Atlas Curse, fearing their beloved 12-pound brick of American letters will never receive the marathon film version it deserves. We're a little more optimistic, however, envisioning its star's symbolic embrace of the directing, screenwriting and acting reins in tribute to the source novelist's self-made spirit. Between Brad Pitt as John Galt and crewing up with first assistant director Maddox and the rest of the brood, this idea may really be about as right-place-right-time as it gets.

• BREAKING: Vadim Perelman Shrugs off 'Atlas' [Cinematical via Hollywood Elsewhere]

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