THE CROW Director Alex Proyas Criticizes the Upcoming Reboot Starring Bill Skarsgard
Alex Proyas, the director of the classic 1993 film adaptation of The Crow, isn’t happy with the upcoming reboot and criticized the first images that were released of Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven.
Proyas shared an image on Facebook of Skarsgård sitting at a campfire opposite FKA Twigs’ Shelly Webster and he mocked Skarsgård’s appearance, saying: “Eric Draven’s having a bad hair day. Next reboot thanks.”
Proyas continued to poke fun at Skarsgård in the comments and the reboot as a whole saying things like, “I guess he’s supposed to be a bad mofo with all those tats and werewolves and skulls on his jacket.” He added, “Well at least the stills gave me a good laugh. I thought they were going to take a dump on Brandon Lee’s legacy for a moment.”
A lot of fans seem to agree with Proyas as they have been very outspoken about their dislike of the images that were shared and the look of Skarsgård.
Alex Proyas has always been against a new Crow movie being made and he previously spoke out against it in a heartfelt message explaining why the film shouldn't happen. The reasoning behind his opinion is the legacy of Brandon Lee, who was accidentally killed while shooting the film in the early 90s. Here's what Proyas said:
WHY I THINK THE CROW SHOULD NOT BE REMADE
I was privileged to know Brandon Lee – he was a young, immensely gifted actor with a great sense of humour and a bright future ahead of him. I was also privileged to have been able to call him a friend. Our working relationship as actor/director went beyond mere collaboration. We crafted a movie together which has touched many people.
I did not take a “film by” credit on THE CROW. I wanted it to be Brandon’s movie, because it was, and because he would not be able to make any more movies. He brought all his passion to the movie and it has lasted as his legacy. It is a film I know he would have been proud of.
I finished the film for Brandon – struggling through grief, along with the hugely supportive cast & crew who all loved Brandon, to complete it in his absence. We were imbued with the strength of Brandon’s spirit and his inspiration. Not only Brandon’s wonderful work as an actor and a film-maker, but as a man, who’s humanity had touched us.
THE CROW would not be a movie worth “remaking” if it wasn’t for Brandon Lee. If it wasn’t for Brandon you may never have even heard of this poignant little underground comic. It is Brandon’s movie. I believe it is a special case where Hollywood should just let it remain a testament to a man’s immense talent and ultimate sacrifice – and not have others re-write that story or add to it. I know sequels were made, and TV shows, and what have you, but the notion of “rebooting” this story, and the original character – a character Brandon gave life to at too high a cost – seems wrong to me.
Please let this remain Brandon’s film.
The studios don’t care about that stuff, though. They were always going to push this reboot through regardless of all of the issues that it had. The Crow reboot finally got made and I seriously doubt it will be as good as what Lee and Proyas delivered.
In the reboot: “Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.”
This version of the movie comes from director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell) from a script by Zach Baylin (King Richard) and Will Schneider. The is based on James O’Barr’s original graphic novel that spawned a previous film franchise.
The movie will be released on June 7th, 2024.