News has been doing the rounds that Bradley Cooper has had to turn down the lead role in the remake of The Crow due to scheduling conflicts, which is strange considering they don't seem to know when they are going to make the film while the legal battle over the title continues.

Meanwhile the rumours are of more recognisable action name stars to take up the role, which doesn't really bode well for the rest of the film, concentrating more on the leading celebrity rather than the core of the film.

Really though, does it matter if the lead turns out to be Mark Wahlberg, apart from the fact he's not a great actor, or Channing Tatum? A polished, big name celebrity who is known for their more glossy action than the gritty and dark tale you might expect from The Crow? Well it might signal the direction and tone of the remake.

I think the real issue in the The Hollywood Reporter story is why Bradley Cooper has left the film due to scheduling conflicts when Relativity is still in the middle of litigation with The Weinstein Company over the distribution rights to the film.

Of course Relativity could just make the film and find out what happens at when they're ready to release, and hopefully the court case would be over by then and a winner found, but what if they lost? They would lose the rights to distribute the film and would end up releasing it with a company they clearly don't get on with, a company that dropped their last film Nine into a very shallow release grave.

Wouldn't they just hold on and see what the outcome was to then decide whether to make the film? After all if the Weinstein's win then perhaps Relativity might reconsider making it.

So if that is the case, and right now I really don't have enough information to know either way, then why did Cooper drop out with scheduling conflicts? Are they going ahead with the film regardless, or is that a convenient excuse to get out of the film? I think perhaps the latter.

Now we're waiting to see who will replace him and if the film will go ahead with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo set to direct. Who should be the new Crow? Personally I'd prefer someone darker and capable of a more gritty performance.