Original director of ‘The Crow’ roasts reboot after box office flop

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Filmmaker Alex Proyas, who directed the original The Crow adaptation back in 1994, is taking great delight in the reboot’s recent box office flop.

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Released into theatres last week, The Crow is an R-rated adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel and a remake of the 1994 film of the same name. It opened with a dismal $4.6 million, which was lower than Twisters, which is now in its sixth week playing in theatres.

Proyas was outspoken against the prospect of a remake after the film’s star, Brandon Lee, died while making the original in a horrific on-set accident in 1993.

“I thought the remake was a cynical cash-grab. Not much cash to grab it seems,” Proyas wrote gleefully on Facebook about the new film’s anemic reception at the box office.

The I, Robot director has also been sharing negative reviews for the film, which wasn’t screened in advance for critics.

After one reviewer called The Crow remake “the worst movie of the year,” Proyas responded: “The review we’ve all been waiting for. It’s a bit like flogging a dead horse now so I think I’ll stop after this…until another funny one comes along.”

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In another post, he continued to gloat about the film flop, writing: “Maybe they can lend their DCPs (Digital Cinema Package) to film schools for classes on how NOT to make a movie?”

The Australian director has been vocally opposed to the remake since the first trailer was released earlier this year and seemed to delight in its middling prospects and negative likes five months before it hit theatres.

“I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmakers work,” Proyas wrote on social media in March, per Indiewire. “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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Bruce Lee’s son Brandon starred in the original 1994 film, which is based on James O’Barr’s 1989 gothic graphic novel of the same name and tells the story of Eric Draven, a supernatural warrior who takes revenge on a gang that killed his one true love. 

Lee died in the midst of filming when he was shot with a loaded prop gun.

John Wick: Chapter 4 and IT star Bill Skarsgard assumes the role of Draven in the new film with FKA twigs playing his girlfriend.

After Proyas’ criticism following the trailer launch, the reboot’s producer Molly Hassell defended the remake in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 

“I’m surprised it hasn’t made the original filmmakers more proud, because it’s a step in a different direction, but it’s a necessary step to deal with the age-old themes of love and loss,” Hassell told the outlet. “I hope everyone walks away from this film just reinvested in the people they love and care about.”

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The remake’s director Rupert Sanders promised Vanity Fair in February that Lee’s “soul is very much alive in this film,” and insisted that the “terrible tragedy” was “something that we’ve always had in mind through the making of the film.”

He went a step further to defend his vision in a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, dismissing critics as “people (who) are very active online and not so active in life.”  

“Get out and do something and have less time throwing stones,” Sanders told the outlet.

But critics have unanimously panned the reboot, with The Crow certified rotten on Rotten Tomatoes.

Industry analyst Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations told Postmedia he wasn’t surprised the new version “tanked.”

“Brandon Lee’s death brought a lot of notoriety — and attention — to the film, but it still only debuted with $11 million before ending its run with $50 million domestically,” he said. “Those aren’t huge numbers to begin with.”

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Subsequent sequels — including 1996’s The Crow: City of Angels, 2000’s The Crow: Salvation, starring Kirsten Dunst, and 2005’s The Crow: Wicked Prayer — have all disappointed at the box office.

“It’s pretty obvious that there isn’t much of a fanbase for this property outside of the cult status the original has,” Bock explains. 

Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, said some of the blame for The Crow’s failure was due to the popularity of three other films — Deadpool & Wolverine, It Ends With Us and Alien: Romulus.

“This remake of The Crow was standing in the very long shadow of the original 1994 classic and got caught in a late summer box office traffic jam that continues to be dominated by Deadpool 3, Alien and It Ends With Us,” Dergarabedian said. 

But with a reported budget of $50 million, the film is destined to become one of the year’s biggest box office losers. Bock thinks The Crow franchise is done for good — at least in our lifetime.

“This is likely the last we’ll see of The Crow for another couple decades,” he said.

Somewhere, Alex Proyas is smiling.

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