It looks like that remake/reboot of “The Crow” with “28 Weeks Later” helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo directing and Bradley Cooper circling the lead role is hitting the courtrooms before it flaps its wings into theaters.
A gleeful Nikke Finke is reporting that Relativity, who is producing the film, is in a battle with The Weinstein Company over who has distribution rights to the movie. Bert Fields, the lawyer repping the Weinsteins, claims that there’s “a written contract signed by everybody” which gives the brothers the worldwide rights to the film. Anyway, Relativity disagrees and negotiations have failed, putting this one in front of a judge. Fields warns that anybody who buys the rights to the movie is just going to end up getting sued because it belongs to the Weinsteins.
There’s no word yet from Relativity on this so we only have the very one-sided Deadline report to go on at this point. Whether or not this holds up production remains to be seen, but we’re sure the threat of legal action will get everyone to make nice, shake hands and get some kind of arrangement worked out, all in the name of franchise filmmaking and the bucks that come with it. If everyone shares their toys and no one pees in the sandbox, “The Crow” will shoot this fall.
Update: A statement from Relativity reads as follows.
“This is yet another typical litigation stunt from the Weinsteins who have a long history of threatening law suits with the sole purpose of intimidation. If served, Relativity will seek immediate dismissal. While we expect these types of antics from the Weinsteins, we are shocked that a lawyer of Mr. Fields’ caliber would make such false, reckless and intentionally harmful statements to the press about Relativity and Mr. Kavanaugh. We intend to seek appropriate remedies for this misconduct.
Clearly this is a feeble attempt to create a press stir and a malicious effort to interfere with Relativity’s development of the project.”