Perfectly timed for “Devil’s Night,” independent blogger Sean C.W. Korsgaard has just released an impressively in-depth interview with “The Crow” creator James O’Barr in which O’Barr discusses the new big screen plans for The Crow and details his involvement with the project.
“[W]e’re not remaking the movie,” says O’Barr. “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.”
As such, we’re going to see Luke Evans play the same Eric as in the original comic. That won’t, however, be Brandon Lee’s Eric Draven.
“If you read the comic, Eric and Shelley never have their last names revealed,” O’Barr continues. “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… [N]o one understands that fear more than me. Brandon Lee was a friend and I’d never do anything to hurt his legacy.”
O’Barr also explains that, as per one of his requests when agreeing to sign on for the project, he has control over the film’s soundtrack. That’s the same deal he had on the 1994 Alex Proyas version and that’s one area where fans can expect some similarities.
“We’re including some music I’d wanted to originally, but just couldn’t get the rights to,” says O’Barr. “Some actual Joy Division songs. Some vintage Cure songs. I’m still pretty active in the music industry, and there is a lot of neo-goth bands out there, that have that same sound, and I’ve talked to some of them about contributing, and they’re very excited about it.”
Overall, O’Barr has very high hopes for the new film and has already signed off on Evans’ look.
“I’ve seen him in the make-up, too” says O’Barr, “and he looks great… I think the studio understands that if they want a ‘Crow’ ‘franchise’, they have to get it right. We’re hoping to begin production later this month, and start shooting in the spring.”
F. Javier Gutiérrez is directing The Crow and, if all is going according to plan, it shouldn’t be too long before we start hearing about additional casting. Check back for details as they become available!
