Jack Huston Cast As THE CROW, Jessica Brown Findlay As Shelley

With comic book films setting records at the box office and remakes being all the rage, it was no surprise that Alex Proyas’ 1994 The Crow would be remade. Where the surprise came in is how hard it was for the remake to actually get done. The film has been in development since 2008, has had no less than three directors and six actors attached to the project, but no positive momentum on the film. However, all of that might have changed.

James O’Barr, creator of The Crow comic book and consultant on the film, was at the Lexington Comic and Toy Convention this past weekend. On Saturday, he hosted a Crow Q&A session, and he gave the crowd some scoop.

O’Barr stated that Boardwalk Empire‘s Jack Huston has been cast as the lead, Eric Draven. If this is true, then Jack Huston follows in the steps of Bradley Cooper and Luke Evans, both who where linked to the role but left after production delays caused conflicts with other films. Both have gone on to greater success after leaving the project, Cooper to Oscar Nomination glory and Evans to genre film stardom, so Huston has that to look forward to if all of this does not pan out.

This is not the first dance Huston has had with comic book movie stardom. He signed a test deal with Marvel back in 2012 for Guardians of the Galaxy, supposedly testing for the role of Peter Quill. The role eventually went to Chris Pratt.

The Crow creator also said that Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay has been cast as Draven’s true love, Shelley. Brown Findlay left the popular British drama in 2012, attempting to strike out in a film career. She has appeared in last year’s Winter’s Tale and Lullaby.

O’Barr also said the the film will skew closer to the comic than the 1994 original and the special effects will be done in a more conventional fashion rather than in CGI. He also said that the film will be shot at Pinewood Studios in Wales and in Belgium starting this Spring. The film shooting at Pinewood Studios location was later confirmed Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones. This location is convenient as Hutson is Welsh and Brown Findlay British.