Welcome to another horror news round-up! This time around, we have an update on whether or not Luke Evans will play Eric Draven in The Crow reboot, details on the recently announced horror film, The Greasy Strangler, and a clip, poster, and images of Bruce McDonald's Halloween-set Hellions, making its debut this Sunday night at the Sundance Film Festival.

When Corin Hardy (The Hallow) became attached as the director of the long-gestating reboot of The Crow (after F. Javier Gutiérrez left the director's chair) back in December, discussions of who would play main character Eric Draven resurfaced, with Luke Evans' future in the lead role somewhat of a question mark.

Evans (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesDracula Untold) was initially set to star in The Crow remake back in 2013, but in recent interviews he didn't seem optimistic about his continued involvement with the project due to his busy schedule and the film's slow development.

Now it's been revealed by TheWrap that Luke Evans has officially left The Crow remake to focus on his already busy film slate. It's uncertain at this time who will replace Evans. Both Tom Hiddleston and Bradley Cooper were once in the circle to star as the revenge-seeking rock musician before Evans set his sights on playing Eric, but there's been no indication that either one will take the now-vacated lead role.

Despite the questions surrounding the cast, the Relativity Studios project could begin production as early as this spring. Hardy will direct off a screenplay by Cliff Dorfman and Gutierrez (who is directing Rings, the third installment in The Ring American remake franchise), will stay involved as an executive producer. No release date for The Crow reboot has been announced at this time.

Fans of The Crow comic book series by James O’Barr should be pleased to know that O’Barr is working as a consultant on the remake. Edward R. Pressman and Jeff Most (who both produced the original 1994 film) are producing, along with Kevin Misher, Relativity’s Ryan Kavanaugh, and Jeff Waxman. Joining Gutierrez as executive producers are Tucker Tooley, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, and Dan Farah.

Dealing with unbearable pain from an unspeakable loss, 1994’s The Crow still leaves an indelible mark on viewers with its foreboding atmosphere, haunting soundtrack, and tremendous final performance by the late Brandon Lee. For those unfamiliar with the original The Crow film, its story, like the comic book, follows a man named Eric who, along with his fiancée Shelly, is murdered by a group of vicious thugs. Eric comes back from the dead via a mystical crow to seek revenge on the murderers, all the while mourning the tragic loss of Shelly.

Corin Hardy’s first feature film, The Hallow, makes its premiere this Sunday night at the Sundance Film Festival and follows a family fighting off hellish monsters at a secluded house in the woods. Interestingly, The World’s End director Edgar Wright advised producer Pressman to give Hardy the chance to direct The Crow reboot. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for further updates.

Luke Evans in Dracula Untold:

Deadline revealed that Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision and Drafthouse Films, along with Rook Films and Timpson Films, are moving forward with The Greasy Strangler. The film will be director Jim Hosking's (the G is for Grandad segment in The ABCs of Death 2) first feature. Hosking will direct off a screenplay he wrote with Toby Harvard (who also co-scribed G is for Grandad with Hosking), and filming is set to begin this spring in Los Angeles. Here's the synopsis:

"The Los Angeles-set tale follows Ronnie, a man who runs a Disco Walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son for her attentions. It also signals the appearance of an oily, slimy inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent, soon dubbed ‘The Greasy Strangler.’"

Poster via Deadline:

A Park City at Midnight selection at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Hellions makes its debut this Sunday night. Directed by Bruce McDonald off a screenplay by Pascal Trottier, Hellions stars Chloe Rose, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter Dacunha, Luke Bilyk, and Robert Patrick.

"Strange trick-or-treaters plague conflicted teenager Dora Vogel (Chloe Rose) at her isolated home on Halloween.

Under siege by forces she can’t understand, Dora must defend both body and soul from relentless Hellions, dead-set on possessing something Dora will not give them. Set in a visually haunting landscape, Hellions redefines the boundaries of horror with its potent brew of Halloween iconography, teenage angst and desperate survival."

To listen to the main theme of Hellions, visit:

Clip courtesy of Deadline:

Images courtesy of Sundance Film Festival:

Source: TheWrap
  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.