Comic Creator James O’Barr Promises The Crow Reboot Will Not Be A Remake

If you’re a fan of The Crow comic but can’t understand why the Hollywood reboot machine wouldn’t at least spare Alex Proyas’ 1994 film adaptation, fear not. Comic creator James O’Barr sat down recently with Korsgaard’s Commentary and shared some updates that should assuage anyone concerned a traditional remake would be in bad taste.

According to O’Barr, the film’s possible-director, Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall), has told him Proyas’ adaptation will not be touched: “I don’t want to remake that film, that film is perfect as it is.  I want to do your book, literally page-for-page adaptation.”

The artist also says that Luke Evans, the star of the upcoming film, won’t be playing Eric Draven. In keeping with the film’s loyalty to the comic, Evans has instead been cast as just “Eric:”

We’re not remaking the movie, we’re readapting the book.  My metaphor is that there is a Bela Lugosi Dracula and there’s a Francis Ford Coppola Dracula, they use the same material, but you still got two entirely different films.  This one’s going to be closer to Taxi Driver or a John Woo film, and I think there’s room for both of them – part of the appeal of the Crow comics after all is that they can tell very different stories after all.

Although O’Barr vouched that Evans will be “great” in the role, he also promised that the new adaptation will honor the memory of Brandon Lee:

Brandon Lee was a friend, and I’d never do anything to hurt his legacy.  Eric Draven was a creation of the movie – if you read the comic, Eric and Shelley never have their last names revealed.  Hopefully, this is one area the new movie being more faithful to the comic will come into play, and Eric won’t be going by Eric Draven in the new film.  Luke Evans may play Eric, but Brandon Lee will forever be Eric Draven.

Considering O’Barr has been telling fans to calm down over the potential pratfalls of another Crow movie for years now, I think the project is in good hands. Thoughts?

(via Collider)

Previously in The Crow

• The Crow Comic Creator James O’Barr Will Be Involved In The Reboot
• Luke Evans Opens Up On Getting Cast In The Crow Reboot
• The Crow Remake Has Its Star, And It’s Neither Alexander Skarsgård Nor Tom Hiddleston

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