The case against remaking a film like The Crow could be made up of all or some of the following basic arguments: the original was perfect, a modern version would only ruin what was so special about the genuine article, and ultimately it's just not needed. Yet when it comes to director Alex Proyas' reasons for being against the Jason Momoa-starring revamp of the 90s cult classic, his line of thought runs deeper than those more artistic reasons. In the opinion of the man who directed the original film, it would be a disservice to the memory Brandon Lee to even think of proceeding with this new project. He noted
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.
Proyas wrote an extended Facebook post laying out the case for just why The Crow was such a personal film for him to complete, and ultimately it came down to the fact that Alex Proyas feels the film is more Brandon Lee's legacy than his own. While he takes credit in completing the film in the name of Brandon's memory, the Dark City director refused to let the film be known as a "film by" his hand. And in closing, he made the above statement explaining his definitive reasoning for not wanting to see The Crow rebooted, which has everything to do with Brandon Lee's immense talents.
With the new film's rather problematic production history -- which saw a revolving door of talent boarding and leaving the project, and a studio's bankruptcy almost burying the project completely -- The Crow didn't look like it was ever going to happen. But the current incarnation now has Corin Hardy in the director's chair, and Jason Momoa set to play Eric Draven for a new generation, and that means the project has seemingly found its resurrection and is ready to be reborn. And yet, it still feels like The Crow revamp still has a little bit of a shadow hanging over it. If you asked Alex Proyas what he thinks about it, we'd have a feeling he'd say it shouldn't be happening at all.
For all we know, The Crow could be one of those reboots that ends up working in the end, revitalizing a franchise in the name of its own renaissance. Not to mention, if this new version of The Crow works out, there's a chance that the idea for a sequel dreamed up by the comic's creator, James O'Barr, could be revisited. But since the wheels are finally turning, so long as those behind the film proceed with the spirit and legacy of Brandon Lee in mind, the final effort should not be feared.
The Crow doesn't currently have a release date in mind, but should be going into production fairly soon. In the meantime, feel free to see what's heading our way in the next year with our 2018 release schedule.
