The Crow

THE CROW Reboot Gets New Director F. Javier Gutierrez and Scribe Jesse Wigutow

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 24th, 2012 at 4:00 pm

Just a day after bringing you the news that The Crow reboot was back on track after The Weinstein Company and Relativity Media settled their respective lawsuits, it looks like the project has a new director and scribe. F. Javier Gutierrez has apparently been tapped to direct and Jesse Wigutow is reportedly making a deal to write the script for the Relativity Media picture. We reported on Gutierrez (Before the Fall) as a possibility back in October, but Wigutow isn’t exactly a household name. He’s set up the war film Irreparable Harm for HBO Films and did a rewrite for Summit’s The Osterman Weekend, itself a reboot for the 1983 Sam Peckinpah-directed adaptation of the Robert Ludlum novel by the same name. As the reboot for The Crow is currently in development, Relativity plans to announce casting, production dates and targeted release dates in the coming weeks. Hit the jump for more.

Lawsuit Over THE CROW Settled; Reboot to Move Forward

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 23rd, 2012 at 3:59 pm

The reboot that no one is asking for looks like it may be moving forward. A revisiting of director Alex Proyas’ 1994 Miramax picture, The Crow, was previously in the works through Relativity Media. Since the Weinsteins distributed the original through Miramax and had contracts claiming ownership of all rights to The Crow, they filed suit against Relativity seeking “injunctive relief,” ie ceasing all The Crow-related production. Not to be intimidated, Relativity fired counter-claims.

Things haven’t gone particularly well for the reboot as directors have come and gone, writers have signed on and then dropped out, and principal actors have been offered roles but have ultimately left the project. In short, it’s been a mess. One bright spot in production is that both sides of the lawsuit have settled amicably. While the good news is that this brings The Crow reboot closer to reality, the bad news is that this brings The Crow reboot closer to reality. Hit the jump to read the press release.

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Drops Out of Directing THE CROW Reboot

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 14th, 2011 at 12:11 pm

Maybe this whole thing just isn’t meant to be. Merely a couple months after losing its star Bradley Cooper, The Crow reboot is now without a director. Twitch reports that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) has now dropped out of the project, after originally taking over for director Stephen Norrington. This news doesn’t come as a huge shock, as just a couple weeks ago Fresnadillo was confirmed as the director of the Highlander reboot that Justin Lin vacated, with production on that film slated to begin next Spring.

Plot details on The Crow reboot are thin, but Fresnadillo was working from a script by Watchmen co-scribe Alex Tse. The goal was to reboot James O’Barr’s Eric Draven character for modern audiences for whom Brandon Lee’s 1994 turn is apparently insufficient. Twitch’s report states that the hunt is now on for a replacement director, with F. Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall) being floated as a possibility. Personally, I think the filmmakers should take this as a sign that an unnecessary reboot of The Crow is, in fact, unnecessary. Hit the jump to watch the trailer for Alex Proyas’ 1994 iteration.

Bradley Cooper Leaves THE CROW Remake; Mark Wahlberg and Channing Tatum Emerge as Possible Replacements

by Jason Barr    Posted: August 15th, 2011 at 7:04 pm

Scheduling conflicts have reportedly forced Bradley Cooper to leave director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s (28 Weeks Later) remake of The Crow. Cooper had previously been in negotiations to reprise the late Brandon Lee’s turn as iconic gothic character Eric Draven. However, it looks as if his involvement in David O. Russell’s Silver Linings and Legendary Pictures’ Paradise Lost has cramped his schedule to the point that he has exited Relativity’s reboot of James O’Barr’s 1990s comic.

With Cooper off of the grid, it’s being reported that Mark Wahlberg and Channing Tatum have stepped up to the plate as potential candidates for the part. You may remember that Wahlberg was offered the role of Draven back in October 2010, when Stephen Norrington was attached to direct the remake. That offer never gained much traction and, before long, Norrington had moved on as well. As for Tatum, this is the first time his name has been associated with the role and, in all honesty, I’m hoping it is the last. Hit the jump for a little more on the potential candidates and the project as a whole.

WATCHMEN’s Alex Tse Will Write THE CROW Remake

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 22nd, 2011 at 3:15 pm

Watchmen co-scribe Alex Tse has signed on to pen Relativity’s “reinvention” of The Crow. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) and potentially starring Bradley Cooper who is attached, the pic is expected to reboot James O’Barr’s Eric Draven character for moviegoers who are perhaps too indifferent to check out Brandon Lee’s stellar 1994 turn and/or gluttons for punishment. Relativity’s press release claims that the project is expected to be “gritty” but, considering that Draven is a man who returns from the grave seeking vengeance on his wife’s killer, it’s hard to conceive the iconic goth tale as coming off any other way (romantic comedy, anyone?).

While I may be opposed to the notion of rebooting The Crow franchise, my opposition has nothing to do with Tse’s inclusion. I really enjoyed he and David Hayter’s Watchmen and thought the changes they made to the story actually worked better on screen than what the source material may have. In addition to both Watchmen and The Crow, Tse has also penned Ninja Scroll for Warner Bros. and co-wrote/executive produced Spike Lee’s TV movie Sucker Free City which premiered on Showtime back in 2004. Hit the jump to check out the full press release.

Bradley Cooper in Early Negotiations to Star in THE CROW Remake

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 12th, 2011 at 3:59 pm

Well that was fast. Just a week ago 28 Weeks Later director/co-writer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was tapped to helm the remake of The Crow for Relativity Media, and now Bradley Cooper is in talks to star. Heat Vision reports that Cooper met with the Spanish director in Spain recently and the two “shared a vision for the character and the film.” This flick is a “re-invention” of the 1994 film based on the James O’Barr comic which tells the story of a rock star who is murdered trying to rescue his fiancée by thugs, only to be resurrected in order to seek revenge.

Production on the film is slated to begin this fall. No screenwriter is mentioned in the report, but it’s assumed that Fresnadillo will be doing at least some script work on the film given his writing background. Cooper has been pulling off the “leading man” thing lately, and was a staple on most recent comic-book movie shortlists (he auditioned for Green Lantern). It looks like the actor may finally have his turn.

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to Direct THE CROW

by Jason Barr    Posted: April 7th, 2011 at 6:00 pm

28 Weeks Later director/co-writer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has been tapped by Relativity Media to direct a “re-invention” of 1994’s The Crow. Per the release, Fresnadillo is expected to co-write the project’s script with an as-of-yet unnamed scribe. Although casting details announcements are still forthcoming, the release confirms that Fresnadillo’s film will focus on the character Eric Draven and that production is aiming to begin this Fall. In discussing the reboot, producer Edward Pressman says:

“The original Crow was groundbreaking cinema; its gothic visual and musical ideas influenced a generation and cinema itself. With Juan Carlos, we have every confidence that his new Crow will have a similar impact on the contemporary audience.”

For more on the project, hit the jump to check out the full press release.

Stephen Norrington No Longer Directing THE CROW; Moves on to THE LAST PATROL

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 22nd, 2010 at 8:12 am

Earlier this week, we reported that Mark Wahlberg had been offered the lead role in Stephen Norrington’s remake of The Crow.  Comics2Film decided to ask Norrington about the rumor and he responded, “I don’t know about that story but I can tell you I’m no longer involved with The Crow.”  Norrington says an unnamed actor got involved and loved Norrington’s take, but then asked for a complete re-write of Norrington and Nick Cave’s script from a new writer.  However, Norrington implies that the unnamed actor wasn’t Wahlberg because he goes on to say, “I will say I think Wahlberg could be cool if they take a gritty blue-collar approach. He’s a truthful actor. I think he could really ground the supernatural stuff.”

Norrington, who hasn’t directed a film since the 2003 debacle The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, is moving on to another project he’s had in development: The Last Patrol.  As we previously reported, the film is “a supernatural action thriller set against the backdrop of World War II.”

Mark Wahlberg Offered the Lead in Stephen Norrington’s Remake of THE CROW

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 19th, 2010 at 1:26 pm

I have a tough time envisioning Mark Wahlberg as goth, but he may getting into the white face paint.  According to Bloody Disgusting, Wahlberg has been offered the lead in Stephen Norrington’s remake/re-adaptation of The Crow.  This was a film I was completely uninterested in until musician/screenwriter Nick Cave (The Proposition) came on board to do a re-write.  We don’t know much about the remake other than it will be set in Detroit and follow the same plotline of a man coming back from the dead to avenge his and his fiancée’s murder.  However, before Cave came on board, we reported that Norrington’s reboot  “will focus more on the mythology of the actual crow as a character with a distinct personality.”  The Crow was originally played by Brandon Lee in the 1994 film.  Other actors to play the role include Vincent Perez, Eric Mabius, and Edward Furlong.

Wahlberg will next be seen in David O. Russell’s The Fighter.  He’s also attached to the thriller Contraband, and is considering The Odd Life of Timothy Green and Seth MacFarlane’s comedy Teddy Bear.

Nick Cave to Re-Write THE CROW Remake

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 27th, 2010 at 12:06 pm

And just like that, I’m interested in Stephen Norrington’s remake of The Crow.  The Wrap reports that writer/musician Nick Cave (The Proposition) has been brought on to re-write the screenplay for The Crow remake.  Norrington wrote the original draft of the script, which was set in a southwestern area (e.g. Mexico or Arizona) and an urban location (e.g. Detroit or Pittsburgh).  I can’t help but wonder if Norrington feels like he’s losing control again and flashing back to his last film, 2003′s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Cave’s most frequent collaborator is director John Hillcoat.  In addition to The Proposition, Cave also wrote the scripts for Hillcoat’s Ghosts…of the Civil Dead and the un-produced The Promised Land and Death of a Ladies Man.  Cave also wrote an amazing/batshit insane script for a Gladiator sequel.  While I have no interest in The Crow as a character or his goth world, Cave’s involvement has instantly landed this movie on my radar.

Update on Stephen Norrington’s Reboot of THE CROW

by Laura Kelley    Posted: June 1st, 2010 at 9:20 pm

Writer/director Stephen Norrington’s reboot of The Crow is set to begin filming soon, and producer Edward Pressman gave MTV’s Movies Blog some details about the film.  Pressman promised fans that Norrington’s completed screenplay is “terrific” and Avatar’s production designer Rob Stromberg’s illustrations will help make the film very different from the original.  According to Pressman, an offer is out to an unnamed major actor and production is set to begin later this year.

The film’s setting will be different from the original Crow.  Norrington’s screenplay is set in both the Southwest and an urban area, possibly “Detroit or Pittsburgh.”  The change in locations isn’t the only significant difference, as the reboot will focus more on the mythology of the actual crow as a character with a distinct personality.  Pressman said that this will give it a “more active role” in the story, and Norrington’s visual ideas for the reboot are different from what fans are used to.  Pressman continued by saying that casting announcements are forthcoming.  I guess the main question is who would you like to see in the starring role?

Director Stephen Norrington Provides Updates on His Version of THE CROW

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 19th, 2010 at 3:16 pm

Making his first film since 2003′s disastrous League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, director Stephen Norrington signed on in 2008 to direct a new adaptation of comic creator James O’Barr’s The Crow.  Mania [via ShockTillYouDrop] recently spoke to Norrington and learned some new updates on the project.  Norrintgon says he will make it his next project, following up with of his supernatural World War II pic called The Lost Patrol, which we reported on last month.  The director revealed that The Crow is moving towards a greenlight from Relativity Media, the studio developing the flick.  Says Norrington:

The producer and visual effects people are crunching numbers. We’ve opened discussions with major cast but nothing is final yet…[We're hoping] to shoot in the summer, but nothing’s certain…Cast and budget and schedules will no doubt continue to adjust all equations.

For those who don’t know about The Crow, the story follows a supernatural goth avenger, looking to punish those responsible for the death of his fiancé.  Unlike Alex Proyas’ 1994 adaptation, Norrington’s version would “take on the mythology that focuses on a new set of characters.”

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