Some comic book icons are too good to stay dead. Although it doesn’t have the added sheen of being based on a Marvel or DC comic, The Crow is apparently one of them.
The 1994 original movie has remained a cult classic over the decades, both thanks to Alex Proyas’ atmospheric, gothic direction and the charismatic performance of Brandon Lee in the lead. The Crow is perhaps most famous (or infamous) for the tragic on-set accident in which a misfired prop gun took Lee’s life (preceding the sickeningly similar situation of Rust‘s Halyna Hutchins by 27 years).
Nevertheless, the tale of Eric Draven, a man driven by love — and with a little help from a mystical crow — to come back from the dead to avenge the murder of his fiancée has continued to be told and retold. It spawned three straight-to-video sequels — 1996’s City of Angels, 2000’s Salvation, and 2005’s Wicked Prayer — as well as a short-lived TV series, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, in 1998. Now at last The Crow is stretching its wings on the silver screen again. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is in The Crow?
Having the tall task of stepping into Lee’s shoes as Draven in The Crow remake is Bill Skargård. Jason Momoa, who was attached to an earlier version of the film that never materialized in the 2010s, might’ve been a closer visual match to Lee but Skargård is certainly an excellent choice to star in the remake given his impressive street cred in the horror and thriller genres. For those used to seeing him as Pennywise the Clown in It, it should be an experience to witness Skargård sans clown make-up and plus a ripped bod.
Starring alongside Skargård is FKA Twigs as Shelly Webster, Eric’s doomed love interest. The cast also includes Isabella Wei as Zadie, with Danny Huston on villain duties. Other actors set to turn up in the film from director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell) are Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, and Jordan Bolger. The script, as based on the original comics by James O’Barr, is penned by Zach Baylin (fresh off his work on the acclaimed Bob Marley: One Love) and Will Schneider.
Is there a trailer for The Crow?
You bet there’s a trailer! On March 14, Lionsgate released our first full look at The Crow remake, which promises that the story will hue pretty close to the original. Of course, the trailer’s arrival has generated a lot of discussion online, with many remaining too loyal to the memory of Brandon Lee to accept anyone else as Eric Draven. On the other hand, the film’s impressive visuals are winning over others who were on the fence. Personally, I think it looks like an entertainingly violent throwback to the comic book films of the early 2000s (unlike Madame Web, which was an unwanted throwback to the campy comic book films of the early 2000s).
When does The Crow release?
We don’t have too much longer to wait until we can find out whether The Crow remake soars or plummets. The film is set to swoop into cinemas on June 7, a little over a month and 30 years after the release of the original in May 1994. Will the remake prove successful enough to resurrect the franchise for multiple more movies? Or will it die a death at the box office? Only time will tell.