Just a few hours ago, it was reported that Forest Whitaker was in talks for a role in Relativity’s reboot of The Crow, but now the project has taken a serious step back, with word that star Jack Huston has departed the film, following in the footsteps of previously set Luke Evans.
The Crow has really been stop-and-start for years, with directors coming in and out of the movie but never sticking around for long. Relativity at least appears confident in its ability to continue working on the remake with director Corin Hardy, who released an official statement confirming Huston’s exit:
“Jack Huston is unfortunately unavailable to continue with us on The Crow. The Crow is an amazing project, and I am grateful that we have the time and patience to get it right. We look forward to unveiling our new lead and starting to film over the next several weeks.”
Meanwhile, Relativity has said:
“Jack is a remarkably gifted actor, and we look forward to working with him in the future. Corin Hardy has a tremendous vision for The Crow, and we are working closely with him to continue prepping the movie and supporting him as he brings his vision to the big screen.”
It’s been alleged by some publications that creative differences were the reason for Huston’s departure, while others state that it was a simple problem of scheduling. Huston, who broke out with a role on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, has become increasingly in-demand over the past few months, and he’s leading the Ben-Hur reboot for MGM.
The Crow is still in pre-production in Wales as Relativity and Hardy scramble to cast a new lead. Variety states that Unbroken‘s Jack O’Connell and Mad Max: Fury Road‘s Nicholas Hoult are being considered, among others, for the starring role of a murdered rock star who is resurrected by a crow and proceeds to hunt down his killers. Brandon Lee originally played the part back in the 1994 film – he was killed during filming by a defective blank.
As far as we know, the other actors are still attached to the project. That includes Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) as the rocker’s murdered girlfriend, Andrea Riseborough as thug leader Top Dollar and Whitaker in an unspecified part.
