‘The Crow’ OG Director Revels In Remake’s “Brutal” Reviews: “Cynical Cash-Grab”

Glenn Garner
·3-min read

As Rupert Sanders‘ The Crow update suffers the fate that befalls so many remakes, at least one person isn’t so surprised.

Alex Proyas, who directed the original 1994 movie based on the James O’Barr graphic novel, seems to be reveling in the $50 million Lionsgate remake’s negative reviews after it bombed at the box office with a $4.6 million opening last weekend.

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Directed by Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell), it follows Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) as they fall in love in a rehabilitation facility and run away together. But when demons from her past catch up with them and murder the lovers, Eric comes back to life in order to exact his revenge.

Proyas took to Facebook ahead of the movie’s Aug. 23 premiere, posting a monocle emoji with a screenshot of a review about the “unfathomably awful goth remake.”

“Wow. The reviews are brutal,” wrote Proyas in one post, adding: “I thought the remake was a cynical cash-grab. Not much cash to grab it seems.”

The director also shared a Facebook meme that read, “Marked safe from seeing Crow 2024 today.”

Proyas also shared a message he sent to composer Michael Lira — the composer on his upcoming sci-fi satire R.U.R., which begins filming Oct. 21 in Sydney, Australia — about why indie filmmaking is “the best kind of filmmaking.”

“Having so much fun making this movie…” write Proyas in the message. “About now the studio would call us to say they don’t like opera and we should make it a hiphop song! Oh that’s right – THERES NO F— STUDIO!!!”

Sharing what he called “the review we’ve all been waiting for,” Proyas seemingly ended his onslaught Tuesday. “It’s a bit like flogging a dead horse now so I think I’ll stop after this… until another funny one comes along!” he wrote.

Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs in <em>The Crow</em>.
Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs in The Crow.

Proyas previously made an impassioned plea against the remake on Facebook in March after the trailer dropped. He paid tribute to actor Brandon Lee, who previously died at age 28 when he was struck by a live round from a real revolver that was used as a prop gun in a scene from the original movie.

“I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmaker’s work. 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 fan’s response speaks volumes. The Crow is not just a movie. 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.”

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