1993’s The Crow director Alex Proyas continues to slam the upcoming Bill Skarsgård-led reboot, claiming it hurts the legacy of original star Brandon Lee.
Proyas defended his adaptation of the Caliber Comics comics character in a now-deleted Facebook post. “The Crow is not just a movie,” Proyas said. “Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. That’s how it should remain.”
Since The Crow reboot trailer went viral, it garnered over 78,000 dislikes on YouTube. Of those numbers, according to CBR, the trailer received 53,000 dislikes on the first day. Though Proyas joins the chorus of disgruntled Crow fans against the reboot, he expressed no ill will towards Skarsgård and others involved in the production.
“I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmaker’s work,” Proyas said. “And I’m certain the cast and crew really had all good intentions, as we all do on any film. So it pains me to say any more on this topic, but I think the fans’ response speaks volumes.”
The Legacy of The Crow
Released in 1994, Proyas’ The Crow was an adaptation of the Caliber Comics supernatural superhero created by James O’Barr and starring the late Brandon Lee. The movie follows a rock musician who was left for dead alongside his fiancée and gets resurrected to seek revenge against the killers. The Crow had an unfortunate production history as star Lee was fatally wounded by a prop weapon and had his remaining scenes finished through the use of early CGI as well as stunt doubles. Praised by critics for Lee’s final performance, The Crow earned $94 million worldwide on a $23 million budget. It was followed by three unsuccessful sequels in 1996, 2000, and 2005.
Directed by Rupert Sanders with a screenplay by Zach Baylin and Will Schneider, The Crow reboot stars Skarsgård in the title role opposite FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, and Jordan Bolger.
The Crow is scheduled for release in theaters on June 7.
