The long-gestating remake of The Crow seems forever cursed. Last week, reports came in that its director, Corin Hardy, had exited the project, and producer Dana Brunetti would be moving forward without him.
At this weekend’s Jameson Empire Awards – during which Hardy won the Best Horror award for The Hallow – the filmmaker publicly addressed his departure for the first time.
Speaking to Empire’s Chris Hewitt, Hardy was understandably cagey about saying too much on what is still an ongoing situation. “I can only say it’s been a very interesting week,” he said.
However, he seemed to suggest all is not lost. “You have to keep watching, really, because it’s quite a complicated situation. It ain’t over.”
The Crow originated as a comic book series by James O’Barr in 1989. One film adaptation, starring Brandon Lee in the main role, was produced in 1994. A remake of the gothic fantasy has been in the pipeline for some time, with several directors – Stephen Norrington, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, F. Javier Guitierrez – variously attached.
Hardy has come closest to actually making the damn thing, with filming almost due to begin last year, before the bankruptcy of the studio, Relativity, sent things all crashing down.
It’s still unclear exactly what caused Hardy’s exit, but he still seems enthusiastic about the project. “The Crow remains something I’m so passionate about," he told us. "We shall see.”