Caffeinated Clint
Will that long-gestating remake of ”The Crow” ever get up? Not if producer Edward R.Pressman has his way. The producer of the cult classic wants to stop the currently penniless Relativity Studios (which Dana Brunetti and Kevin Spacey have taken over – hoping to resuscitate it) from bringing Eric Draven back from the dead. Again.
Papers have been filed in bankruptcy court denying Relativity rights to sequels, prequels and remakes to the popular movie brand. The deal here is, in 2009 Pressman made a deal with the outfit that gave them an option to do three “Crow” movies – one being that on-again of-again remake. The option was exercised in 2014, which according to court papers, gave Relativity three years to begin principal photography or rights revert back to Pressman.
In August of 2015, the Pressman-approved Corin Hardy was hired to direct the remake of ”The Crow”.
When Brunetti took over Relativity Studios, he removed Hardy (The Hallows) as the helmer of the movie. This was reportedly five days before the bankruptcy hearings.
The producer, who says Brunetti never even met with Hardy to discuss the movie, says Relativity is in violation of its contract because he wasn’t even consulted on the decision to remove the director. As Pressman sees it, the years of work done on the picture is now flushed down the loo… simply because the studio wanted to shake things up.
“With Dana coming aboard, we are giving him full creative rein,” a Relativity spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We want him to be able to reboot The Crow under his vision and guidance. We are optimistic he will create the best package for such an iconic franchise.”
Let’s admit it, there should’ve been only one. We’re in Pressman’s corner.
