With Dana Brunetti coming in to take the creative reins of Relativity, the studio has decided to part ways with director Corin Hardy on its premiere property “The Crow,” TheWrap has learned.
Hardy signed on to direct “The Crow” in December 2014. The project nearly lost Hardy in September 2015 due to Relativity’s uncertain future, though the company signed the director to a $150,000 holding deal this past November, with production planned to start in March.
Rather than have Brunetti inherit someone else’s version of “The Crow,” Relativity thought it best to have him reboot the franchise as he sees fit. While Hardy is “known for his visual flair, having a penchant for horror and dark subject matter,” according to producer Ed Pressman, the director’s first film, “The Hallow,” failed to resonate with genre audiences.
Pressman is currently in the midst of a legal battle with Relativity as he attempts to deny the company rights to sequels, prequels and remakes of “The Crow.”
“The Crow” is a remake of Alex Proyas‘ 1994 classic action movie starring Brandon Lee that was based on the beloved graphic novel by James O’Barr. Jack Huston was attached to star in the film but he dropped out due to a scheduling conflict once the start date shifted. There’s no star currently attached to play Eric Draven, who returns from the dead to track down his killers with the help of a mystical crow.
Relativity remains in the midst of ongoing efforts to reorganize in the wake of declaring bankruptcy, and “The Crow” is the company’s top production priority, as Relativity has already invested “in excess of $7 million” in the remake.
9 Biggest, Baddest Box Office Showdowns of 2016 (Photos)
Feb. 12: "Deadpool" vs. "Zoolander 2"
"Deadpool" is one of 2016's most high-profile movies due to a great social media campaign. However, "Zoolander 2" is the sequel to a successful comedy, and many fans have been waiting 15 years for it.
Marvel/Paramount
March 25: "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" vs. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2"
Comic book fans have been clamoring for Zack Snyder's buildup to a Justice League Movie, with Ben Affleck as the Caped Crusader. But Nia Vardalos' original "Greek Wedding" was one of the top-grossing indie films ever and could be canny counter-programming.
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron return for some new fraternity high jinks -- and will face off against a 1970s set film starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.
Universal/Warner Bros.
May 27: "Alice Through the Looking Glass" vs. "X-Men: Apocalypse"
Two big sequels with wide appeal: "Alice" is a four-quadrant movie, meaning the movie offers something for every demographic. "X-Men" is another film in the popular franchise that already has a huge following, and let's be honest -- Marvel movies do extremely well at the box office. The box office winner may depends on which movie gets the IMAX screens.
Disney/Fox
June 10: "Conjuring 2" vs. "Now You See Me 2" vs. "Warcraft"
This summer day marks the release of two sequels to surprisingly successful movies, while the new movie "Warcraft" will vie for fans of the popular video game.
Warner Bros./Lionsgate/Legendary
July 1: "BFG" vs. "Legend of Tarzan"
Two classics are hitting theaters in the prime of summer. Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the Roald Dahl children's book faces a giant challenge from Alexander Skarsgard's jungle-raised man.
Disney/Warner Bros.
Oct. 7: "The Girl on the Train" vs. "Gambit"
Although both of these films have completely different target audiences, the Emily Blunt thriller "The Girl on the Train" and the Marvel comic book movie "Gambit" with Channing Tatum are both high-profile movies with amazing casts.
Universal/Marvel
Dec. 28: "Passengers" vs. "Jumanji"
A sci-fi movie teaming Jennifer Lawrene and Chris Pratt will blast off against a reboot of the classic "Jumanji" starring Robin Williams.
Sony/Columbia
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TheWrap takes a look at the most competitive faceoffs of the year, like ”Alice Through the Looking Glass“ opening against ”X-Men: Apocalypse“