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Stephen Norrington Remaking Alex Proyas' The Crow

by Alex Billington
December 14, 2008

It only takes 14 years for a film to be remade. Alex Proyas' The Crow, starring Brandon Lee, is up next, with Relativity Media negotiating with producer Ed Pressman to acquire the film franchise. Stephen Norrington has signed on to both write and direct the "reinvention" of the film, which was originally based on the comic created by James O'Barr. The original film, which hit theaters in 1994, is about a rock musician who is murdered trying to rescue his girlfriend from thugs but returns from the dead a year later to avenge his and his girlfriend's death. "Whereas Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style," Norrington said.

Stephen Norrington has been laying dormant ever since he directed The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. Norrington is an accomplished sculptor who made his directorial debut with Death Machine then went on to direct the first Blade. Norrington said he felt demoralized by LXG and spent the last five years writing and working on his art. He was set to make his comeback with Clash of the Titans, but left because he was "unable to excite Warner Brothers with [his] take, or influence the screenplay to any comfortable extent." He ended up on this Crow remake when Relativity exec Tucker Tooley and Pressman both "embraced Norrington's vision of the antihero." Is there any hope for this remake?

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Jason

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God damn it, Hollywood. Stop remaking shit! Especially The Crow. This movie is sacred. It was great because of Brandon Lee. He fit the role perfectly. There's a reason the sequels made about $4. I'm so sick of remakes and reboots and re-dos. Stop ruining already great movies and come up with something ORIGINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.cage.com Red Buttons

We have to get used to remakes, re-dos, reboots and reduxs because its easy, and cheap (for the most part) and it usually fills the seats.
http://www.theaterhopper.com Tom Brazelton

Bad idea - especially considering how Lee died on-set. It's a classless and tasteless move.
Drew

This SUCKS. They shouldn't have even made sequels, but now they're remaking it!?! The original is perfect as it is. How about showing a little respect to Brandon Lee by putting these movies to rest.
Steven

OH HELL NO!!! This is horseshit. While I'm not completely against remakes and reboots, this is crossing the motherfucking line. Brandon Lee died working to make the original perfect. Why in the holy blue hell can't these assholes let him rest in peace.
Dutchko

I was waiting for hollywood to rape my childhood. At least they're being thorough.
seoulman

Well if Stephen Norrington was "demoralized" by LXG, wait til he gets the shit storm coming is way on this one. The guy calls himself an artist, but where is his originality. LXG; comic book, Clash of the Titans; classic movie, The Crow; classic movie. If this guy had any real talent at all, he would have been able to think of something original. If this guy had half a brain, he would have found a movie that could benefit from a re-make. This is a bad idea and somewhere along the way, this will get shut down. The sequels should have shown there is no market for a Crow movie without Brandon Lee and Alex Proyas.
Kyle A. Koyote

The original IS perfect..or near enough...this would be horrible..and I am a huge fan...the series has already been ruined by HORRIBLE sequels..this would destroy it..I wouldn't want anyone to touch it. I still watch the original at least once or twice a year..it is timeless.
Johnny Crow

I can see people rebooting movies that sucked. Like the hulk, or Punisher (even though the second sucked too). But rebooting a classic and legend like The Crow?! There is no way in hell its going to be even close to the original. You cant replace Lee. I agree with every comment made so far. Thanks Norrington for making me this pissed off.
werdnafaz

stoooopid!
Carl

WHY RE-MAKE THIS CLASSIC IT'S PERFECT THE WAY IT IS???? All this re-make crap is going to far now goes to show Hollywood have run out of ideas and are desprate.
heath

Demoralized my LxG? Shit he better get ready for another round once he directs the remake. Hopefully it'll demoralize him for life!
Itri

Die Hollywood.
L

I completely agree. I thought this movie was excellent and was plenty gritty and realistic (persay). There is no need to remake this movie. It is great as is.
Dude

Really... Like, no December fools day or anything like that?
Chris

I think we've discovered what they're doing here. They're not 'remakes' any more. They're stealth-sequels. Calling something The Crow and claiming it's a remake is a lot better than churning out some dire piece of trash called The Crow *6*. Still, at least we'll all get to be film snobs harping on about how we 'prefer the original'.
Movie Fan

Norrington sounds pretentious and stupid. I think he'll fuck it up.
dee

Don't Re-Make put out a 15 year anniversay with deleted scenes! Heck put it straight to DVD with directors commentary and it is a wrap! This was Brandon Lee's best performance and Heath must have done alot of research looking at this movie! Stupid idea to re-make a classic and cult movie!
Oly

I really hope they don't go through with it... so sick of reboots, even though some of them can be good... How long before they reboot the Godfather?
ChrisUK

Good points: 1) Blade was awesome 2) Last Minute was crazy and pretty good Bad points: 1) The Crow is pretty much perfect as it is, and should not be tampered with. Hollywood really have NO idea, as you guys say, The Crow sequels were rubbish and largely ignored...you can't improve on this movie. There are several timeless movies you can't improve by remaking and this is one of them! (along with T2, Star Wars, Robocop, Scarface, Godfather, Leon etc etc)
Chris

No sir. There is no chance in hell of this being any good. Apparantly people forgot about the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Devon Shaw

No way, this is a terrible idea and would be best-served by blowing up on the launchpad.
ethermay

Screw you Norrington!!!! BRANDON LEE WILL JUMP FROM HIS GRAVE AND ROUNDHOUSE YOUR ASS!!! GO TO HELL!!! The original is FAR SUPERIOR to anything you could possibly imagine your version being. Screw your ambition!
http://www.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com

My prediction- Eventually Hollywood will announce a movie project that will be filmed two seperate times by two different directors and totally different casts. They will be released 5 months apart so the audience can compare the two different visions of the same material. Actually I find the idea interesting! Someone will think of the idea and give it a try. Chuck
MrSammich

Calm down everyone, the original is still out there to buy even if this movie blows. And Brandon Lee dying doesn't make this an instant classic either. I doubt this is how he would have wanted it you douchebags.
http://www.firstshowing.net buddhistwisdom7

Goddamn it, what is with all the ridiculous remake ideas all of the sudden!!!! They should NOT REMAKE THIS FUCKING MOVIE!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?! JUST LEAVE THE GOOD ORIGINALS ALONE!!!
http://film-book.com Film-Book dot Com

Give me a fraking BREAK. How in Valen's name could you possibly top the accomplishment that is the first Crow? Why not find a different graphic novel subject to bring to the screen? I feel sorry for Norrington.
Kail

At least they're not making Rob Zombie's version of The Crow... the story line was awful, a post-apocalyptic story about a bounty hunter who's mom was killed 20 years ago?
Logan

This is unbelievable. "Whereas Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style,".... WTF!!!! It was gothic and stylized because thats almost exactly how the comic book was! Turning this into a realistic movie? Oh yeah, a guy gets up from the grave, that's real good documentary material. Of course, Hollywood is just following their old saying. "If it ain't broke, fix it anyway."
samy

WHAT??? no!
D-9

No thanks....The Crow should be left alone, plus it had a perfect soundtrack.
Alfredo

dude, just take the same concept and tweak it a bit, and in a thinly disguised move name the guy Raven. I would probably have more respect for that movie than a Crow remake.
bltzie

NOOO! Brando Lee was perfect! the style of the movie was perfect! Whats up with this realistic bullshit! I mean a guy comes from the dead to make wrong things right. Yeah, very real! fuck you Norrington!
The_Phantom

Yes this seriously sucks! The Crow with Brandon Lee is one of my favorite movies. And a couple of days ago I was going to make a comment on another article saying how I thought The Crow is by far one of the best comic book movies made. And now there remaking it! UGG! And by the way. How are the other movies sequels? They are all different characters in each movie. They just keep the same concept. Eric Draven doesn't return in any of the other movies. There basically just remakes just like this one.
Christ

Why? This is not necessary. A remake would suck. I can't understad why they keep making all these terrible remakes.
John Knox

Am I imagining things? Or was there suppose to be a Crow movie starring DMX a few years back? lol
michael

Im a huge fan of Brandon Lee and the Crow, but a more realistic approach to this film would be interesting to see. The original will always be a great movie...and one that deserves respect, being the last film Brandon Lee will ever be in, but there is nothing wrong with a re-imagining. what's the difference if it is 14 yerars or 30 years. it's bound to happen . We need a new approach since all the sequels kept going downhill.
wm

I want anyone to tell me what in the FUCK was wrong with the original! Did it not stay close to the source? If you want to see the The Crow, just fucking rent it. Hell, I think everyone probably owns the fucking thing.
Mike Aldridge

I've got to agree with Michael here about being excited abut this news. I loved the original, and there are only a few directors I would trust to not really screw it up. Norrington is one of them, not because of League, but because of Blade and the Last Minute. If they're going to remake it, it's so much better that they do it with someone who has some vision for it.
Too Talk

NO Fugging way. Man Hollywood has the well of ideas run that dry? What about remaking Mama Mia, that only came out this year, why wait another 13 to re-do it? F'in fools, to think they can recapture or re-invent this film is nonsense. I actually did like the 2nd one, so why don't they just make another sequel? God knows they can't get worse than the last 2 ones they made, I mean Edward Furlong as a Crow???? This director needs to eat a phat dick!
Brandon

I just threw up a lot in my mouth. Hollywood needs to be creative and come up with new ideas. Enough of this remake crap. If they remake The Crow, they will destroy it. As well as spit on Brandon Lee's legacy.
Conrad

Terrible, terrible terrible!!! This is a classic in every ounce, why remake this??? Its a disgrace to Brandon to tamper on such grounds.
Daniel F.

I personally do not like the idea. But if they are really doing this and its not some joke, a really good trailer would do nice. Let's just hope they don't make a Star Wars remake or a "stealth-sequel". o_O
JL

I like this idea. But only if the main character isn't a supernatural, immortal, raised from the dead gothic rocker. I think he should be a living, mortal person, who isn't skilled with combat or weapons (not implying the original was), but instead is armed with determination and resolve.
Breac

Here is an idea...COME UP WITH YOUR OWN FUCKING STORY! The Crow does not ever, need a remake.
lucipher

nooooo goddamit leave the crown alone its a fucking masterpiece by itself and doesnt need to be remade into a piece of shit remake to make some cash you fucking pieces of money grubbing shit i hope you die
http://www.myspace.com/apocalypze DJ Sid

Don't get me wrong. I really like the first Blade movie by Norrington. They should have hired him back for Blade 3, but thats another conversation. Anyhow I don't think that they should remake the Crow. Maybe add another chapter to the series of movies but not a remake.
Squiggly

Why do they keep re-making GOOD movies? I mean, wouldn't it be a better idea to dig up an old movie that sucked for some reason (bad acting, bad writing, low budget crap) but had a good idea and then remake THAT? Are you guys aware that there's someone out there right now re-making Plan 9 From Outer Space? It's known as one of the worst films ever made. The guy doing the remake is attempting to take that horrible film and try to make a good film based on it. Not a cheesy, crap B-movie ripoff, but an actual, honest to god good movie. THAT is what hollywood should be doing. The original crow is perfect as it is. If they want to make some more money off the crow, why not re-release it in the theaters? Studios USED to re-release films in theaters as well. No more.
Squiggly

@#44... You need to see an interview with O'Barr - the guy who wrote the crow comic - and understand that the guy wrote the book to try to put his life back together. That whole book is a metaphore and the original film - while not a perfect translation of the book - at least tries to be. If you go and change all of that crap about the character - I mean wtf, if he's not raised from the dead, then why the fuck would you need the crow mythology in the first place? It's the kind of thinking like that that is killing hollywood. Take someone else's idea, rip it out of context, throw in a bunch of grit and gimicks and then slap a few big names on it and it's a re-make. That's the EXACT reason that "Hancock" went from being a good idea with a mediocre script into an utter cluster-fuck of a movie. It's odd that every other creative endeavor - painting, drawing, making music, whatever - is centered ont eh idea that you are searching for a gem in a pile of crap and the goal is to clear out as much crap as possible to make the gem shine. In Hollywood, the goal is apparently to find the brightest, shiniest creative gems you can find and then try to cover them with as much crap as possible. And "Documentary Style"? WTF does that mean? Is this going to be "Cloverfield" with the Crow or something?
smacky

FUCK YOU that sucks
Syphous

Please. The first Crow sucked, hopefully they follow the comics a little more and make it watchable.
TN

just bad news today! they should kill themselves. that's what the world needs.
TCox

To me, The Crow is perfect the way it is. I'm not saying that it's a perfect film, because it does have flaws, but it's a film that's better left the way it is. It doesn't require a reboot, or another terrible sequel. Brandon Lee made The Crow what it was. No one else could touch his performance, which is why the sequels all sucked. His death, as sad as it was, brought a level of mystique to the film, much like Ledger's death did with The Dark Knight. No way should this be remade. If anyone wants to start an onine petition to stop this, I'm in.
Annie M.

I just can't believe of someone trying to profit over other people's brilliant work, but Hollywood would be even worse if they allow this atrocity. Brandon Lee lost his life doing this movie. Is his legacy!!! Eric Draven without Brandon is just NOT Eric Draven. The Crow w/o Alex Proyas is just NOT The Crow. I hope that, if they make this movie, people won't go to the movie theaters to watch it. That would be incredible, can you picture it? Movie theaters alone, empty because we all want to support Alex Proyas and Brandon Lee. Let's boycott this movie!!!!!
Ann S.

Alright, first things first - everyone has their own opinion and such, but I happen to believe that "The Crow" is a classic and is timeless. The original had James O'Barr working with the director, Proyas, side-by-side. No it doesn't follow the graphic novel 100%, but it does have the same feel. Not to mention, it was also what O'Barr wanted, which would be a good thing, since it was based off of HIS graphic novel in the first place. For the people who are unaware, the "sequels" were also based off of O'Barr's other graphic novel sequels (yes, there are more than one) - and no there was not Eric Draven in the other sequels, because the other novels were not about him. They were about other souls who died tragically and got an opportunity to make things right, or at least avenge the deaths. Not saying that the other Crow movies were great by any means, but different directors took over (I honestly believe Proyas might have had a difficult time getting over Lee's death on set). The remake is taking out a big part of what the graphic novel and original movie stood for. Gothic. "Whereas Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style." Gothic and stylized... why yes, it is... It's a GOTHIC novel, is it not? Stylized, why of course... it was done in the style that it was based off of, from the graphic novel - with the ideas and aid of O'Barr himself. So let me get this right, Norrington wants to take out the gothic feel, remove the style that O'Barr wanted, and add realism (with a walking corpse), hard-edged (lots of stupid slow-motion fight scenes), mysterious (the one part of the movie/graphic novel he's actually leaving in), and make it in a documentary style... are you serious? For some reason, I'm thinking Blair Witch... Realistic? This makes me laugh, a lot. It would be like making the Hulk, the X-men, or any other comic book or graphic novel realistic. Another note, just because Brandon Lee died in the making of the movie doesn't make it great. The movie is great and amazing because of not only Brandon Lee (although, he did do an amazing job), but the combination of all the actors, directors, and crew involved in making the film. To me, it seems that remaking this movie, would all in all, be in bad form. It would be like if someone decided to remake "The Dark Knight" in a few years - I agree other people could do a good job at the character, Eric Draven / The Joker what have you, but it would never be able to top the performances done by Brandon Lee or Heath Ledger.
Josh

i don't care what they do anymore, the last 2 crow films already showed disregard for the franchise, the only thing that matters is that they can't get another performance likes Brandons or Michael Wincotts, he put his life into it and you can see it straight through the film, he loved it. so goodluck to everyone trying to remake this film, they can make another one, but they cannot re-create the noir and enthrawling experience you get while watching the original film and Brandon lee's superb performace.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/thecrow/ John

Unless this was a SinCity-like movie based on "The Crow Author's Edition" (see http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/thecrow/ ) I would hate a remake was made
Amy

Are you kidding me??? The Crow is a cult classic!!! Are they going to start remaking movies like Rocky Horror Picture show?? Why cant Hollywood come up with new stuff and leave the classics alone? Is there not any imagination out there? Brandon Lee died making The Crow.. it was his finale to the beginning of what was to be an amazing era. Let him rest in peace knowing his last masterpiece is untouched!!!!
jim

I'm sorry peeps!!! Brandon can NEVER EVER! be replicated or duplicated!!! He was the ONE AND ONLY CROW!!! There will NEVER EVER be anyone to play that role the way he did! PLEASE, PLEASE, give this man and the character HE ULTIMATELY DIED FOR!!! thier eternal peace!!! This is one cult classic that should have never been "unearthed" after Brandons" death, and is a character whose soul should be "laid to rest" just as it was in the original!!!
asddsaf

Just don't pay to see it. It's the only way to hit hollywood where it hurts.
nikki

When I heard this was being remade I went into a fit of rage. This movie is AMAZING and cant be remade! If this movie is remade that is basically a slap in the face to Brandon Lee. He died making the movie and now this cult classic is gonna be remade and look like garbage! Hollywood needs to stop remaking awesome movies! They should be remaking terrible movies!