The Spaniard beat out his countryman Francisco Javier Gutierrez for the job and will now go ahead for Relativity and Ed Pressman, the producer behind the 1994 original.

Fresnadillo is currently in post-production on Intruders wih Clive Owen and Carice van Houten and his credits include 28 Weeks Later and Intacto, which itself had been at the centre of remake talks some years ago.

Relativity and Pressman will team with Spain’s Apaches Entertainment on the production, which is scheduled for an autumn shoot. Fresnadillo will develop the script once a writer is attached. The late Brandon Lee starred in the original and Relativity is expected to announce casting shortly.

Pressman is producing with Jeff Most, Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh and Fresnadillo’s longtime producing partner from Apaches, Enrique Lopez Lavigne, alongside Belen Atienza.

Relativity president of worldwide production Tucker Tooley will serve as executive producer and Jose Ibanez, Pressman Film Corporation’s Jon Katz and Apaches’ Jesus de la Vega will serve as co-producers.

The project will reboot the cult character Eric Draven, who is resurrected as The Crow to avenge his wife’s murder so he can reunite with her in the afterlife. The story is based on James O’Barr’s graphic novel.

“Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is an incredibly talented and imaginative filmmaker,” Tooley said. “We are thrilled to have him at the helm and are excited to work with both Pressman and Apaches on what we all believe will be a compelling and innovative reimagining of The Crow.”

Pressman added: “The original Crow was groundbreaking cinema; its gothic visual and musical ideas influenced a generation and cinema itself. With Juan Carlos, we have every confidence that his new Crow will have a similar impact on the contemporary audience.”