During this weekend’s Lexington Comic and Toy Convention, writer and creator of The Crow comic, James O’Barr, revealed several major casting announcements for Relativity’s big screen remake of The Crow. Boardwalk Empire actor Jack Huston has landed the lead role and Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay is on board to co-star.
O’Barr unveiled the news of Huston’s involvement to Dread Central. “Jack Huston has definitely been cast,” he told the outlet, contravening rumors that Sam Witwer was the favorite for the part of rock star Eric Draven after Luke Evans exited the role. He went on to say that he is “really happy with that choice,” and that the film is set to “shoot in a couple of months.”
In addition, Jessica Brown Findlay, who rose to prominence on the British TV drama Downton Abbey, will step into the role of Draven’s girlfriend Shelly. Although contracts are still being ironed out, the actress is O’Barr’s number one choice for the part. Taking a moment to tease the crowd, he went on to reference an unnamed Game Of Thrones star who is reportedly also in the running for a part in an ensemble, which he describes as mainly British.
As expected, the titular bird which accompanies Eric throughout his adventures – in both the comic and original movie – will swoop in for another appearance and it will adopt characteristics from the novel, which were omitted from the first film. Namely, the fact that it talks to Eric. This feat will be achieved, according to O’Barr, through the use of stop-motion animation.
Directed by Corin Hardy (The Hallow), The Crow will lens in Belgium and will hew closer to O’Barr’s original graphic novel as opposed to a straight-up adaptation of the 1994 feature. If successful, the film will serve as a springboard for other movies within the franchise. The creator went on to state that a new film franchise would introduce new characters in new settings, as opposed to retreading the same territory as the first instalment – which was the case with the sequels which followed Alex Proyas’ original flick.
