As we reported earlier this week, director Stephen Norrington's reboot of "The Crow" is moving forward aggressively with an offer out to a "major actor." Producer Edward Pressman made it clear that this version of the "Crow" would be quite different from the original, something that's caused no small amount of debate between fans of the franchise.
With significant departures from the 1994 film planned, the production will likely take a new approach for the lead character. Norrington has said in the past that the movie won't focus on Eric Draven, which is a wise choice — it would be a mistake to mimic the late Brandon Lee's iconic performance. Instead, the filmmaker and his collaborators should strive for a wholly original but equally memorable hero.
If that's the approach they're going for — and I certainly hope it is — here are five actors that could steer "The Crow" in some interesting new directions.
Alexander Skarsgård
The "True Blood" actor's popularity has exploded thanks to his role as cold-and-calculating vampire Eric Northman, but he hasn't had the opportunity to bring his considerable presence to the big screen in a major starring role. As the protagonist of "The Crow," Alexander Skarsgård could give an intense and icy performance paired with an intimidating physical presence. He's also capable of moments of levity without compromising the severity of a situation, something that's crucial for anyone following in Brandon Lee's footsteps.
Ben Foster
If Norrington wants to emphasize the darker, more ferocious aspects of "The Crow," there are few better actors he could work with than Ben Foster. Forget his turn as Angel in "X-Men: The Last Stand," Foster is at his best when he's allowed to turn the creep factor up to full blast. Imagine his characters from "Hostage" and "30 Days of Night" with a more relatable, heroic angle — that combination could make for a truly original protagonist.
Cillian Murphy
Merging the iciness of Skarsgard with the creepiness of Foster is Cillian Murphy, well-established in both qualities thanks to his turn as the Scarecrow in "Batman Begins." But he's also proven himself as a worthy screen hero with roles in "28 Days Later" and "Sunshine." In terms of physicality, Murphy's skeletal frame works perfectly as a callback to Eric Draven, with his personality providing enough of a distinction from the old "Crow" hero.
Javier Bardem
One of the most chilling cinematic performances of the last several years came in the form of Javier Bardem as the merciless Anton Chigur in "No Country for Old Men." He's proven himself capable of some radically different characters, however, like the flirtatious Juan Antonio in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Bringing both those ruthless and playful qualities to a central role in "The Crow" could make for yet another riveting performance from the Oscar-winning actor.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Hell hath no fury like a royal king scorned, as Jonathan Rhys Meyers has proven time and time again on Showtime's "The Tudors." Rhys Meyers would bring plenty of rage as the main character in "The Crow." On top of that, he's musically gifted as seen in "Velvet Goldmine" and "Elvis," something that harkens back to Eric Draven's rock star status. As long as the style was noticeably different from Draven's, I would be interested in seeing the "Crow" reboot return to the original's musical roots.
Who would you cast to star in a reboot of "The Crow," and do you want the movie to focus on Eric Draven or a new character? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section and on Twitter!