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Relativity Lands First Blow for ‘The Crow’ Rights

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on June 15, 2011 @ 8:37pm
Category: Movies / News

The battle to revive The Crow once again has already begun, and the first major blow has landed on the head of the Weinsteins.

Relativity Media prevailed over The Weinstein Company in court today, according to Relativity’s legal representation and Deadline. “The Court agreed with Relativity that TWC’s lawsuit against Relativity was improper and violated the parties’ arbitration agreement. TWC must now defend itself in the ongoing arbitration proceeding filed by Relativity. In that proceeding, Relativity claims damages in excess of $20 million against TWC for its egregious mishandling of the movie ‘Nine’ and seeks rescission of the parties’ agreement with respect to ‘The Crow.’ Today’s ruling demonstrates that TWC’s efforts to misuse the court system as a means of intimidation against Relativity failed. Relativity expects to prevail on all of its claims against TWC in arbitration.”

A quick recap: Bert Fields is repping Harvey and Bob’s The Weinstein Co against Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media seeking injunctive relief and claiming there’s “a written contract signed by everybody” which gives the Weinsteins exclusive worldwide distribution rights on The Crow reboot and that Relativity can’t sell those rights to anybody else.

The original film was distributed by the Weinsteins at Miramax back in 1994 and grossed $50.6M domestic. Relativity has been working to put Edward R. Pressman’s The Crow reinvention of the James O’Barr comic book series together. Bradley Cooper was recently attached to star as the dead rocker Eric Draven in the Juan Carlos Fresnadillo-directed redo. Who knows if they’ll still be aboard after this mess is cleaned up…
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UPDATED: Lawsuit Stops ‘Crow’ Remake From Taking Flight?

Movies
Posted by David Harley on April 21, 2011 @ 12:07am
Category: Movies / News

As if the franchise wasn’t already tainted with the untimely death of an actor and the lingering stench of Edward Furlong’s post-American History X career desperation, it now appears that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s remake of The Crow might not be soaring onto screens anytime soon.

The Weinstein Company is bringing Relativity Media to court over a distribution dispute, claiming that they have “a written contract signed by everybody” that gives the Weinsteins worldwide rights to the film (they distributed the original through Miramax in 1994). Their side of the story is that Relativity head honcho Ryan Kavanaugh is shopping around rights to other parties, though Kavanaugh has yet to respond as of this writing.

I’d like to think that the two companies can work it out, though we’re talking about two mega-producers with inflated egos that are no strangers to lawsuits. With a director and potential star in place, this is the perfect time for the Weinsteins to step in and raise hell; they just want a piece of the pie. Relativity has had way too much momentum as of late to let this project go by the wayside. Of course, stranger things have happened.

As of now, The Crow is still scheduled to shoot in the fall for a 2012 release.
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Guess Who May Play Eric Draven in ‘The Crow’ Reboot?

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on April 12, 2011 @ 11:17pm
Category: Movies / News

Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Case 39, A-Team) is in early negotiations to star in Relativity’s remake of The Crow, being directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, writes THR.

In the adaptation of the gritty black-and-white indie comic by artist James O’Barr, “Cooper will play a rock musician who is murdered while trying to save his fiancée from thugs. He is resurrected by supernatural forces and seeks revenge.” The role was originally played by Brandon Lee, who was killed by a freak accident during production in 1993.

Relativity is flying fast with Crow, with Fresnadillo only officially boarding the project a week ago. The Spanish director of 28 Weeks Later is said to have met with Cooper in Spain recently, where the two hit it off and shared a vision for the character and the film.

Relativity would not confirm the talks but sources say Cooper, currently in theaters in Relativity’s hit thriller Limitless, is keen to board the project.

Production is targeted to start in the fall.

Have your say below. Do you like this casting choice?

Guess Who May Play Eric Draven in The Crow Reboot?

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on April 08, 2011 @ 12:05am
Category: Movies / News

Relativity Media is finally ready to resurrect The Crow, as 28 Weeks Later and Intruders helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has officially closed a deal to direct the studio’s re-invention of the 1994 action cult classic, reports Variety.

Though no talent is attached yet, Relativity is looking to put The Crow into production this fall. Fresnadillo will collaboratively develop the screenplay once a writer is attached to adapt the script from James O’Barr’s comic book series, which has sold more than a quarter-million copies worldwide.

It is no confirmed that the reboot will again follow cult hero Eric Draven, who is resurrected as The Crow to avenge his wife’s murder so he can reunite with her in the hereafter.

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

The original, which grossed $51 million stateside, starred Brandon Lee, who was killed in a tragic accident during filming. Pic was subsequently dedicated to his memory, as well as his fiancee Eliza Hutton. It spawned three sequels that respectively starred Vincent Perez, Eric Mabius and Edward Furlong as The Crow, along with a TV series toplined by Mark Dacascos.
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’28 Weeks Later’ Director in Talks for ‘The Crow’?

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on February 13, 2011 @ 7:03pm
Category: Movies / News

These days everyone is fighting to stay ahead of the game, which is why you see more and more “in talks” stories.

We’ll ignite some flames this morning as Hollywood offices are abuzz (and we were tipped off) that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, director of 28 Week Later and the forthcoming Intruders, is taking meetings on Relativity’s remake of The Crow. Just to be clear: he’s taking meetings, and NOT signed nor attached. He is also attached to Universal Pictures’ adaptation of Bioshock, but recent press indicates that it is in horrible development hell.

Even more interesting is that insiders continue to push that Mark Wahlberg was “offered the lead” role of Eric Draven, a man brutally murdered who comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée’s murder. We exclusively broke the news of Wahlberg’s offer back in October, until the actor refuted claims in November that he was “never committed to making the movie.” Obviously an offer is just that: the studio stated they’d like him for the lead, and now he must decide what he’d like to do. What say you?

While all of this is obviously way up in the air, it’s nice to hear that Relativity continues to push forward with the reboot.
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Mark Wahlberg Confirms Previous Involvement in ‘The Crow’ Reboot

Movies
Posted by MrDisgusting on November 23, 2010 @ 3:24pm
Category: Movies / News

We had reported a few weeks back that Mark Wahlberg had been offered the lead role in Relativity’s remake of The Crow, which at the time had Stephen Norrington attached to direct. With The Fighter hitting theaters this month, Wahlberg is making the press rounds where website Cinematical asked for an update that confirmed the star was at one time in talks. “We never committed to making the movie,” Wahlberg said. “They talked to me about it and there was a director attached who I was a fan of, and he’s no longer doing it. We just thought about it – ‘is there something cool to be done there?’ But we’re not committed to making the movie.” Now that both Wahlberg and Norrington are off the reboot, it truly does sound as if Eric Draven is back 6 feet under.
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The Crow

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on May 11, 1994 @ 12:00am
Category:

A man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée’s murder.