Reboot of Wilmington-made cult classic movie could hit theaters next year

John Staton, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·2 min read
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Actor Brandon Lee chain smokes cigarettes in his trailer during a late-night interview on March 23, 1993, the week before he died on the set of The Crow in Wilmington.
Actor Brandon Lee chain smokes cigarettes in his trailer during a late-night interview on March 23, 1993, the week before he died on the set of The Crow in Wilmington.
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A remake of one of the best-known movies ever filmed in Wilmington could be in theaters as soon as next year.

Multiple news outlets that cover the film industry, including Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, reported last week that the rights to "The Crow" remake, which shot last year in Germany and the Czech Republic, were purchased by Lionsgate for an eight-figure sum.

The new "Crow" stars Bill Skarsgård (the evil clown Pennywise from "It") as the title character, a man who returns from the beyond the grave to avenge his murder and that of his fiancee, who in the reboot is played by the musician FKA Twigs.

Bill Skarsgård (left) and Wilmington native Banks Repeta star in a scene from Netflix's crime drama "The Devil All the Time." Skarsgård stars in an upcoming remake of "The Crow."
Bill Skarsgård (left) and Wilmington native Banks Repeta star in a scene from Netflix's crime drama "The Devil All the Time." Skarsgård stars in an upcoming remake of "The Crow."

The original movie from 1994 shot in the Wilmington area in 1993 under the direction of Alex Proyas and is best-known for the tragic on-set death of its star, Brandon Lee, son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee was killed when he was shot by a projectile from a prop gun that was supposed to be shooting blanks.

Lee's death wasn't the only safety issue on set, which has led some to term the cult classic "cursed."

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Brandon Lee tragically died after being struck by a malfunctioning prop ammunition on the set of "The Crow" in 1993.
Brandon Lee tragically died after being struck by a malfunctioning prop ammunition on the set of "The Crow" in 1993.

Both the original and the remake are based on James O’Barr's 1989 graphic novel.

The remake of "The Crow" (or reboot, if you'd rather) was directed by Rupert Sanders ("Snow White and the Huntsman") from a script by Will Schneider and Oscar-nominated writer Zach Baylin ("King Richard").

On Oct. 14 in Wilmington as part of the 3 Chambers Fest, the original version of "The Crow" will screen at UNCW's Kenan Auditorium, with the soundtrack remixed live by Shaolin Jazz, a D.C.-based group that explores the intersections of hip-hop, jazz and martial arts culture.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Reboot of Wilmington-made film The Crow could hit theaters next year