After spending a decade in development at Relativity, the new Crow movie recently landed at Sony Pictures, with director Corin Hardy (The Hallow, The Nun) and Aquaman star Jason Momoa in tow. Now Alex Proyas (Dark City, Gods of Egypt), the outspoken director of the original 1994 film, has taken to his Facebook page to leave a heartfelt message as to why he thinks The Crow remake shouldn’t happen. The film’s star, Brandon Lee, was accidentally killed on the set of the film after a stage firearm wasn’t properly prepared, causing the actor’s death at the age of 28 and on the cusp of stardom. Proyas finished the remaining scenes with the aid of body doubles and CGI, with the finished film becoming a hit with $50 million in box office and a rabid following.
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 development of The Crow movie has had a troubled history with frequent stalls in the pre-production cycle and multiple lead actor dropouts, including Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, Tom Hiddleston and Jack Huston.
Series creator James O’Barr previously spoke about the film, saying it would stick closer to the source material in many regards, including using the same songs referenced in the pages of the original comic. How much has changed in the development process since then remains to be seen.
The Crow was originally published as a four issue miniseries in 1989. Alex Proyas directed the 1994 film, which starred Brandon Lee. The role was recast for several sequels and even a short-lived television series. In the comics, too, O’Barr’s character has been sequelized in quite a few different stories and formats, including a bizarre 2013 crossover with Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostsbusters and The X-Files.
How do you feel about a new The Crow movie? Is a remake disrespectful to Brandon Lee’s memory? Let us know in the comments below.
