Ahoy! There be another remake on the way. The upcoming reboot of cult classic “The Crow,” which starred the late Brandon Lee, is sparking controversy among fans, as well as the original cast and director. When the trailer dropped on March 14, it garnered a massive amount of dislikes and vitriolic commentary. So what went wrong?
Ernie Hudson, who played police officer Sergeant Albrecht in the original film, recently shared his thoughts on the remake, which stars Bill Skarsgård as the titular character. Hudson expressed his reservations about the remake, stating that he hasn’t seen the trailer or any of the other Crow movies because it’s too painful for him to watch, given the tragic death of Brandon Lee during the filming of the original movie.
“I haven’t seen it. The actor, who — I can’t think of his name — is playing the lead, I love and respect. But, for me, The Crow is Brandon Lee. I can’t imagine… The Crow is many different stories, let’s hope they don’t try to re-do him, that they do their own thing with it and take it in a different direction,” Hudson told Comic Book. (Ernie Hudson Reveals Why He Hasn't Watched The Crow Reboot Trailer (comicbook.com))
Alex Proyas, the director behind the 1994 film, has also shared his disapproval of the remake. Proyas took to Facebook to express his thoughts on the matter, stating that The Crow is not just a movie, but a testament to Brandon Lee’s legacy and tragic loss.
“I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmakers work. 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,” Proyas said.
However, it's worth noting that Bill Skarsgard has been well-received in his previous role as Pennywise in the remake of Stephen King's "IT." Here at Scary Salad, we still love Bill, but it’s obvious that even the talented Skarsgard probably should…just stay away from Brandon Lee's legacy. Fans of the original film have a deep emotional attachment to Brandon Lee's performance, and it's hard for anyone to live up to that. But Skarsgard is a talented actor.
The remake, which is set to release on June 7, has been met with mixed reactions from fans, with some criticizing Skarsgård’s look and the decision to remake the film in general. However, some fans are optimistic about the remake, with over 60,000 likes on YouTube…and a, perhaps, hidden number of dislikes. Don’t get us started on the comments. Check it out for yourself.
One notable difference between the original film and the remake is the motivation behind the characters' murder. In the original, Eric and Shelly were killed for protesting a forced eviction from a building owned by the villain, Top Dollar. In the remake, they are murdered because Shelly witnesses a crime committed by the film's antagonist. This change in motivation has led some fans to question the remake's faithfulness to the original source material.
Rochelle Davis, who played Sarah in the original film, has also spoken out about the remake, referring to it as a cash grab and urging viewers to boycott it. Davis also expressed her disapproval of Skarsgard’s new look as “ick.”
Despite the controversy, the remake of The Crow is set to release on June 7.
Watch the trailer here:
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