Alex Proyas’ Gothic comic book adaptation The Crow lives on in Hollywood infamy as Brandon Lee’s final movie, with the fast-rising star being killed during a routine stunt gone horribly wrong, but it’s endured as a cult classic for well over 25 years for reasons that have nothing to do with the tragic demise of the leading man at just 28 years old. A dark, stylish and hugely energetic production that had its finger on the pulse of the demographic it was aimed at, if anything, The Crow deserves to be remembered for much more than just the fatal accident that’s long since defined it.
A reboot has been trying and failing to escape from development hell for years, with a revolving door of filmmakers and stars all signing on before departing shortly afterwards. Tom Hiddleston and Luke Evans were just two of the many names set to play the title role at one stage, and new concept art has now been revealed which imagines the actors under Eric Draven’s signature makeup, as you can see below.
Since the reboot was first announced in 2008, directors including Stephen Norrington, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Francisco Javier Gutierriez and Corin Hardy have all flirted with the project to no avail. As for the main role, without including Hiddleston or Evans, you’ve still got Bradley Cooper, Mark Wahlberg, James McAvoy, Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Sam Witwer, Alexander Skarsgard, Jack Huston, Nicholas Hoult, Jack O’Connell and Jason Momoa all having been named in conjunction with headlining The Crow.
There’s been little word on the new version since Hardy and Momoa departed in 2018, though, and it’s looking as if the industry has finally realized that some movies are better left alone.