Why is The Crow remake so controversial? The 1994 cult classic was marked by the tragic death of Bruce Lee’s son, Brandon Lee – and fans aren’t happy with new lead Bill Skarsgård’s Joker-esque look

Mar 22 , 2024

Fans are less than pleased with Bill Skarsgård’s look for The Crow. Photo: Instagram

Brandon Lee tragically died during production of the 1994 film, in his acting debut as lead character Eric Draven; Alex Proyas, the director of the original, recently criticised the remake

The ‘anti-Marvel’ remake also stars Fka Twigs, but Skarsgård’s tattoos and heavy make-up for the role have drawn criticism from fans, who believe it parallels Jared Leto’s Joker character too closely

For as long as Hollywood has existed, it’s been remaking stories one way or another. Whether it’s adaptation of novels and plays, or the rise of comic book-inspired films, screenwriters and directors have always drawn on the rich trove of existing creative work and putting new, innovative spins on those tales.

But sometimes audiences are left wondering if a remake of a classic actually brings anything to the audience. And the recently released remake of The Crow (1994) has viewers asking just that.

The original poster of the 1994 film The Crow, which was ultimately plagued by tragedy. Photo: @pressmanfilm/Instagram

Last year in film proves that betting on familiar characters and plot lines – think Barbie and Oppenheimer – will get people into theatres. And, when done well, a movie remake can ignite the interest of a whole new generation. The success of the Dune films shows new advances in CGI and film tech can enhance an already powerful story.

“Barbieheimer” was the cinematic event of 2023, spawning plenty of memes and photo edits like this one. Photo: @ikevinadams/Instagram

It’s a fine line between bringing something fresh to the big screen while not deviating so far from the original.

Audiences had high expectations for The Crow (2024), since the comic-to-screen production was marketed as an anti-Marvel movie. However, the film has been criticised for mirroring the aesthetics of another film too closely.

Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård arrives for the world premiere of It Chapter Two at the Regency Village theatre in Westwood, California, in August 2019. Photo: AFP

Comparisons were drawn between the remake’s star, Bill Skarsgård, and the star of the original, Brandon Lee – also the son of iconic martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee. Along with the dark supernatural superhero theme of the comic-book-turned-movie, the original film gained iconic cult status due to an unfortunate incident.