Summary
It’s tempting for studios to want to reboot popular movies from the past, and that’s especially true of beloved 1990shorrormovies. While it’s fun to see how theScreamfranchise is evolving, some films should be left in the past. That includes The Crow. WhileseveralThe Crowmovies exist, the 1994 original is the most well-crafted one, and it’s much more memorable than the other four films in the franchise.
The Crowremake was released on June 05, 2025 and got poor reviews. It also failed at the box office and only made $22.7 million against a $50 million budget. There is one reason why the movie didn’t work: becauseit’s not the 1990s anymore.
Here’s Why The Crow Remake Failed
The Crow2024 remake failed because Eric Draven has a ’90s attitude and aesthetic, and it doesn’t translate to the 2020s. Since Eric is in a heavy metal band, he dresses the part.Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), with his hilarious quotes, was a fun character becauseStranger Thingsseason 4 was set in the 1980s. Both Eric and Eddie look like people from the past, and Eric, played by Bill Skarsgard this time, didn’t need to come back in 2024.
Even the plot ofThe Crowsounds like it fits better in 1994 than 2024. After Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiance Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas) are killed,The Crow brings Eric back to life so he can get even with the gang who murdered them. While this is undoubtedly a dark storyline, it’s also a corny one. Whileevery year in the 1990s has a great horror movie, not all of them should be rebooted. Although there is a timeless, tragic love story between Eric and Shelley, that isn’t enough to power a remake.
The Crowremake has gotten terrible reviews, withThe Guardiancalling it “an unfathomably awful goth remake” andForbesnoting that it’s “soulless.” Many would likely agree that Eric isn’t a character for the 2020s. While Jenna Ortega’sWednesday Addams is a great modern Goth character, Eric looks like he’s stuck in the past. This, coupled with the fact that many critics said the remake stuck close to the original, proves that it didn’t need to happen.
Both those involved with the remake and the originalThe Crowhave shared various opinions about the new movie. Interestingly, Bill Skarsgard commented onthe ending ofThe Crowremake in an interview withEsquire, and it doesn’t sound like he agreed with the creative choices that were made. He said:
“I personally preferred something more definitive.”
The Crowalso had a tragedy on set.Brandon Lee, who played the main character Eric Draven who becomes The Crow, passed away after using a prop gun while filming the horror movie. According toNPR, Michael Massee, who played Funboy, fired the prop gun at Lee, and he unfortunately and tragically died.
Alex Proyas, who directed the originalThe Crowmovie, didn’t think that the remake needed to be made given Lee’s terrible death. According toIndiewire, Proyas shared on Facebook:
“‘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.”
Inside The Success Of The 1990s Horror Movie The Crow
The Crowwas a successful movie because it became a cult classicand had a big impact on popular culture. It also made $50,710,791 at the worldwide box office, according toBox Office Mojo, which is fairly respectable.
According toLoudersound.com, many metal bands loved the movie, and singer Ville Valo called Eric his “hero.” If it was released for the first time today, it might not have had the same impact, but many still love it. While there are someterrible ’90s horror movie villains, Eric and The Crow are characters from this era that everyone remembers fondly.
Before he passed away,Entertainment WeeklyinterviewedBrandon Leeabout starring inThe Crow. He talked about the love story between Eric and Shelley and what it was like to prepare for the part. He said:
“It’s extreme. The character comes back from the dead, and, at first he doesn’t know where he is, how he got there…. How does that tie in with the physicality? I just didn’t think he should be too healthy-looking, so I lost some weight for the role.”
Lee put his all into the performance, and he will always be remembered as one of the most talented actors who was gone too soon.WhileThe Crowremake wasn’t a great movie, Lee’s legacy will live on in the 1994 original.
