After years in development hell, a reimagining of The Crow finally appears to be on track for production with the casting of Bill Skarsgård (It franchise) and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter FKA twigs (Honeyboy).
Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell, Foundation) will direct a modern reimagining based on James O’ Barr’s beloved 1989 Caliber Comics graphic novel publication, from a script by Academy Award-nominated Zach Baylin (King Richard).
Director Alex Proyas first brought the story to the screen in 1994’s The Crow, which starred the late Brandon Lee, and became a cult classic, proceeding with a slew of direct-to-video sequel with actors Vincent Perez, Eric Mabius and Edward Furlong each in the title role, and a TV series starring Mark Dacascos.
The central narrative of The Crow as we know it from the ’94 film, sees rock musician Eric Draven, brought back from the dead by a mystical Crow, as he sets out on a campaign of vengeance against those who raped and murdered his girlfriend, and killed him before he could save her.
Attempts to revive The Crow over the years have been cyclic, rotating with different directors and stars attached, the latter including Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, Jack Huston and recently Jason Momoa to name a few. From 2014, Corin Hardy, whose credits include The Hallow, The Nun, and several episodes of British gangster drama, Gangs Of London, was the last director attached before leaving the film four years later.
Edward Pressman, who produced the 1994 film starring Lee, is producing this one alongside Victor Hadida (Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises), Molly Hassell (Braven, Terminal) and John Jencks (Honest Thief, Guns Akimbo). Production companies are Hassell Free Productions, Electric Shadow Company, Davis Films, and Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation, in association with 30WEST.
CAA Media Finance is handling the film’s domestic distribution rights.
“The Crow is beautiful, dark, poetic and sometimes disturbing,” says Sanders. “It is a story of love, loss, grief and revenge. It is a great honor to revisit James O’Barr’s iconic comic and reimagine The Crow as a foreboding voice of today.”
“When Rupert approached us with his vision for the film, we saw immediately it is an exhilarating, modern story for audiences unlike anything we’ve experienced yet in cinema. Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs are a perfect fit for that vision,” said Hassell.
“The Crow has long held an important space in my life,” said Pressman. “I believe Rupert’s vision and the script he’s developed with Zach and our great partners is going to hit home for the ‘Crow’ fan base and invigorate a new generation to O’Barr’s story of eternal love and redemption. Rupert’s vision is full of pathos and I can’t wait to see The Crow in action and on the screen.”
Hadida added, “Bringing to a new generation this iconic property is truly exciting. I am also grateful that we are now able to realize the vision of my late brother Samuel, who was deeply committed to bringing this wonderful story to the big screen and contemporary audiences.”
Sanders is repped by CAA, Grandview, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.
Skarsgård is currently on track to appear as notorious bank robber Clark Olofsson in Netflix series, Clark, and will next be seen in Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4 starring Keanu Reeves. He is repped by WME, Magnolia Entertainment, and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman.
In addition to her successful strides in music, FKA twigs made her feature film acting debut as Shy Girl in Amazon’s Honeyboy. She is repped by UTA.
Baylin, whose spec feature King Richard was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, is finishing up work on the third installment of the Creed franchise at MGM starring Michael B. Jordan, and the Bob Marley biopic at Paramount reuniting with King Richard director Rei Green. He is repped by CAA and Grandview.