After about a year of talk, serious traction on the planned reboot of The Crow seemed to take shape back in April when we learned that director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was hired to helm the film which is SUPPOSED to come out in 2012. Apparently, actor Bradley Cooper was up for the role of Eric Draven/The Crow in this planned reboot but today we learn that he is no longer associated with the film. To that, I say THANK THE GODS!

Bradley Cooper won’t be playing Eric Draven in “The Crow” as planned. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Limitless” actor has decided to walk away from the Juan Carlos Fresnadillo-directed remake film because of scheduling conflicts. The upcoming supernatural action film is actually expected to begin shooting in the first quarter of 2012, but Cooper still has two other projects on his sleeves. He is set to start filming “The Silver Linings Playbook” this fall, before moving forward with “Paradise Lost” in early next year. The absence of the lead actor led Relativity Media to looking for other candidates for Cooper’s replacement. It was rumored that Mark Wahlberg and Channing Tatum are the candidates eyed to take over. Wahlberg was actually offered to take the part last fall, but the studio never sealed any deal with him. Based on a comic book series by James O’Barr, “The Crow” follows Draven, a musician who is brutally killed when he’s trying to rescue his fiancee Shelly from street thugs. Brought back to life by supernatural forces, he becomes an avenger in his quest for revenge. The original film was produced in 1993 with the late Brandon Lee in the starring role. It grossed $50.7 million in the U.S. box office and $94 million worldwide. Unfortunately, the movie was marred because of Lee’s unexpected death in an accident during the filming.

I mean .. I was really worried when we learned that Marky Mark Wahlberg was offered the role last year but, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, he’d prolly be a better choice than Bradley Cooper. Still … none of this fills me with any confidence that this film will be worth seeing. As I have said before and will continue to say until the end of time, Brandon Lee was THE perfect Eric Draven/The Crow and it is highly unlikely that his performance can ever be topped. In all honestly, I think that if they can’t find a suitable no name guy to play the part … they should just leave the reboot idea alone. The Crow has already been marred by a series of unwatchable sequels … let’s just let the poor original (and brilliant) film just stand alone.

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