28 Weeks Later director to helm remake of The Crow

Relativity Media’s Tucker Tooley and Edward R. Pressman, the producer behind The Crow franchise, announced today they have closed a deal for 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to direct a “re-invention” of The Crow, the 1994 cult hit based on the comic book series and comic strip by James O’Barr. Relativity and Pressman will be teaming with Spain-based Apaches Entertainment on the production, which is targeted to start in the Fall of this year.

Fresnadillo is best known for directing 28 Weeks Later, the post-apocalyptic horror sequel to 28 Days Later, which he co-wrote and produced with long-time producing partner, Apaches Entertainment’s Enrique López Lavigne. Fresnadillo also directed the critically-acclaimed Spanish-language film Intacto and is currently in post-production on Intruders starring Clive Owen.

Fresnadillo will collaboratively develop the script once a writer is attached to adapt the screenplay. Casting has not yet been announced.

The film is being produced by Edward R. Pressman, Jeff Most, Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, and Apaches’ Enrique López Lavigne and Belén Atienza. Relativity’s Tooley (The Fighter) will serve as executive producer. José Ibáñez, Pressman Film Corp’s Jon Katz, and Apaches’ Jesús de la Vega will co-producer The Crow.

The new adaptation will be a reboot of the iconic cult character Eric Draven, who’s resurrected as The Crow to avenge his wife’s murder so he can reunite with her in the hereafter, as first envisioned by graphic novelist James O’Barr.

Relativity recently had Golden Globe-winner and seven-time Oscar-nominee The Fighter in theatres, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams as well as Golden Globe-winner and eight-time Oscar-nominee The Social Network. The studio is also releasing the highly-anticipated Immortals on November 11th, 2011, starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, John Hurt and Mickey Rourke. Relativity also recently announced production of Snow White, starring Oscar-winner Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Armie Hammer as the prince, and Lily Collins as Snow White, which begins production in June.