The Crow remake

[=BK=]

As soon as he’s over his next Hangover, Bradley Cooper may be taking the lead in a remake of The Crow.

A source close to the production confirms the actor is in negotiations to star in the film, which will be released by Relativity Media. Mark Wahlberg was previously in talks for the part of the murdered man who comes back as an avenging angel, but that eventually fell through.

Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, Intacto) signed on to the project last week, and Relativity and producing partner Apaches Entertainment are aiming to start production this fall.

The 1994 cult-hit, directed by Alex Proyas (who went on to helm Dark City and I, Robot), was notable for introducing a brooding, gothic, white-faced hero who was in stark contrast to other colorfully costumed superheroes populating pop culture. It was adapted from the 1980s comic books by James O’Barr, which was a way for O’Barr to unleash his grief over the death of his fiance, killed in the late 1970s by a drunk driver.

In the comics, a young man named Eric Draven and his girlfriend are assaulted, and he his shot, while she is raped and murdered. He believes he is resurrected to exact vengeance on the killers. The comics inspired four movies and a TV series. On the original film, star Brandon Lee died when a prop gun misfired.

Relativity Media's plans to remake The Crow has hit a speed bump with a new lawsuit presented today in Los Angeles by The Weinstein Company, which claims TWC still controls the worldwide distribution rights to the remake.

The Weinstein Company's lawyer, Bert Fields, alleges there is a written contract in place which gives The Weinstein Company and its founders Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein the distribution rights to a remake. The lawsuit claims that Ryan Kavanaugh and his company Relativity Media plan to sell these distribution rights. Here's what Bert Fields had to say about the matter.

"Mr. Kavanaugh was not going to honor that contract. Apparently, he's going to sell these rights to others. He made a bunch of threats. Some people may submit to that kind of arrogant conduct, but we're not going to do it. If anybody tries to buy these distribution rights in The Crow , they are buying nothing but a lawsuit and they will get sued."

Last week we reported that Bradley Cooper is in early talks to portray Eric Draven, with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo set to direct. The producers were hoping to get production started this fall, although this lawsuit may throw a monkey wrench into those plans.

The Crow is without a doubt my favorite movie, seen it more times than I can count but I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not one of the people that hates that the movies went past the first one, infact there was only one I didn't enjoy but remaking the first doesn't really sit all that well. I don't see why they'd remake the original, you can just as easily come up with a new story to tell using Crow mythos as you can fuck with the Eric Draven story. Just seems like it'd leave a bad taste in the mouth of big fans more than any sequel would.

[Summers]

Now I LOVE Bradley Cooper... but I just don't see it. :\

[GhostMachine]

There are certain movies that I don't want to see remade. The Crow is one of them.

And Bradley Cooper is not a good choice to play Eric. But he's a better choice than frickin' Marky Mark was.

[Skummy]

It can't be worse than the sequels, or the TV series, or anything else that's ruined the franchise over the years.

[Herr Matzat]

Even the further comics the guy did werrent up to his initial standart. (but if i remember it corectly he wrote the original comic because his girlfrind was killed, it´s hard to recreat that state of mind)

[=BK=]

The TV show wasn't that bad, just rushed. I can understand the dislike for the sequels I guess since I hate Salvation too.

Edit:Has anyone else seen this guy that use to post his story online saying The Crow comics were based on him and james o'barr ripped him off?Recently I've been looking for his account of the story he use to post around and haven't been able to find it

Edit:Ha, found him after recalling he used the name Erik Da Raven

Edited May 31, 2011 by Kirkland

[GhostMachine]

It can't be worse than the sequels, or the TV series, or anything else that's ruined the franchise over the years.

I actually liked the tv series, but the sequels sucked.

Marc Dacascos, who played Eric in the tv series, is the Chairman of Kitchen Stadium on Iron Chef America and the main bad guy on the new version of Hawaii 5-0. So at least the Crow didn't wreck his career.

*edit, because I didn't see his post in time to respond* Yes, Michael, James O'Barr did The Crow as a way of coping with his fiancee's death after she was killed by a drunk driver.....but three years after it happened. He also got part of the idea for the story after reading a newspaper article about a murder over a cheap engagement or wedding ring. I forget which type it was.

The Crow tv series did have some problems, though. As was already said, it felt rushed.

Edited May 31, 2011 by GhostMachine

[=BK=]

I put Wicked Prayer right below the first movie honestly, though that might be because I love anything David Boreanaz touches.I will say Edward Furlong was a stupid pick for playing the lead character but the story was great and wasn't just ripped from the original.

[GhostMachine]

I put Wicked Prayer right below the first movie honestly, though that might be because I love anything David Boreanaz touches.I will say Edward Furlong was a stupid pick for playing the lead character but the story was great and wasn't just ripped from the original.

Edward Furlong is the main reason I hated that one. But I agree with you about David Boreanaz, somewhat.

Salvation sucked donkey dong, but Eric Mabius made a better Crow than Furlong.

[Skummy]

The TV series is just as bad as the sequels in principle - the concept just doesn't lend itself to a long-running or episodic format. The whole basic idea is that the guy is brought back from the dead for a specific purpose, and there are strict rules he needs to abide by - you can't just turn him into a generic '90s moody superhero vigilante, which is what happens as soon as you try and build a series around the idea, be it a TV series or a series of movies. The essence of the idea is weakened by each extension of the franchise.

[Hobo]

Clearly only one man star in a Crow remake:

[DiamondCutter]

Sidekick?

[TMM]

Wicked Prayer was atrocious...except for David Boreanaz, who the director clearly told to "be Angelus"

[tristy]

Damn, you guys are making me want to watch Angel.

[Draevyn]

Damn, you guys are making me want to watch Angel.

I currently am

And when this movie was announced, I perused a few message boards and actually saw a lot of people actually badmouthing the original, and claiming it wasn't even close to the comics. I've never read the actual comics but the original movie is my favourite of all time. I've got the same feeling about the remake as I've had about every single sequel, please god no!

[New Damage]

They'd save a shit tonne of money in getting Sting to play the part too, as he can bring his own make up. Hell, he can do it before he leaves home to go to the set each morning.

[Skummy]

Damn, you guys are making me want to watch Angel.

I currently am

And when this movie was announced, I perused a few message boards and actually saw a lot of people actually badmouthing the original, and claiming it wasn't even close to the comics. I've never read the actual comics but the original movie is my favourite of all time. I've got the same feeling about the remake as I've had about every single sequel, please god no!

The people who say that are either elitist nerds trying to look cool, or have never read the comics, or don't understand how movies work. There are very few discrepancies between the comic and the film, and any differences there are serve to make the narrative fit the format better, it's not just fucking with the source material for the fun of it. It's one of the more faithful comic book adaptations out there - that's not to say there isn't plenty to badmouth it for, but not sticking to the source material isn't a fair criticism at all.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Plus, Christopher Lee's a badass.

[=BK=]

For anyone thats seen Wicked Prayer, I have a question

(skip t0 2:09)

I remember this music being in all the movies and even the TV show but having just finished re-watching WP on Netflix I don't think I heard it, am I remembering wrong or did I just not notice it in my re-watch?

Edited June 7, 2011 by Kirkland

[Skummy]

Plus, Christopher Lee's a badass.

He certainly is.