Is The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus Up For The Crow Reboot?

It’s a career path followed by many an actor. Establish yourself as a recognizable face on a popular television series. Transition to movies, preferably in a franchise that has sequel potential. Hold on tight as you "rocket" to stardom. OK, so it doesn’t always work as smoothly as some would hope, but Norman Reedus might be banking on such an ascension if this recent casting rumor turns out to be true.

(Via ComingSoon.com) The guys over at Schmoes Know are reporting that the Walking Dead star is up for a role in the ongoing reboot of The Crow, which has been banging around for years. The site clarifies that they don’t believe Reedus would be up for the part of Eric Draven – the rocker who turns into an angel of vengeance. Instead, he’s being considered for the part of "James," without anyone really knowing who "James" would be in the new story just yet.

The Crow already exists in multiple formats. It started as a comic book series created by James O’Barr. Famously, it was adapted into a feature film in 1994, though that original picture is primarily characterized for the loss of actor Brandon Lee, who was the victim of a botched effect on set.

A remake seems inevitable, what with reboots of RoboCop and Total Recall out or on the way. But The Crow hasn’t had the easiest path back to theaters. Even as it began teasing its production at Comic-Con, news of a pending lawsuit continued to introduce doubt that modern audiences would get a fresh crack at this familiar story (even as O’Barr voices his own support for the new project).

Word that Reedus is being discussed for the project suggest that the wheels are turning once again, which can give Crow fans hope … or trepidation, if they just want the characters left alone. There’s one other interesting piece of information in the Schmoes story, though it’s a little mean. A source close to the production says that Twilight superstar Kristen Stewart once was considered for a role in the reboot, but eventually was passed on because producers didn’t believe she would help draw a crowd. Ouch. Has Stewart’s star fallen from Hollywood’s sky already? Snow White and the Huntsman and On the Road didn’t benefit from her "presence," so it’s possible her time as a leading lady has faded. Stewart has multiple projects on the horizon outside of The Crow, so we’ll see if she continues to be a draw at the box office.

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.