The Crowis one of those franchises that has one solid entry and a long history of cult appreciation, but very little representation today. Its long and tough history in the medium of film has led up to yet another attempt at a modern reboot, but it could still be primed for success.
Comic book movies were in an entirely different world way back in 1994. Long before every character with at leasttwo Marvel Comics appearancesgot their own feature film, indie projects had a hard time making it to the screen. However, no comic with name recognition is safe from the screen today.
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The Crowbegan life as an independent comic book series as the flagship effort ofCaliber Comics in 1989. Writer James O’Barr created the series while dealing with the death of his fiancée as a result of a drunk driver. The comic was beloved in underground circles but attained mainstream appeal as a result of the 1994 film adaptation. The film was well-received, but an on-set accident resulting in the tragic death of star Brandon Lee dominated the cultural conversation. The film was seen as a creative and unique masterwork, as well as a fitting epitaph for a great talent who was taken too soon. The film was followed by three sequels, each ofwhich was panned criticallyand forgotten by the fanbase. The effort to recapture the success of the original film began in earnest over a decade ago.
In 2008,Bladedirector Stephen Norrington announced his intention to write and direct his take onThe Crow. He was clear that his version would be vastly different fromAlex Proyas' 1994 adaptationof the material, attempting to create something more gritty and realistic. Mark Wahlberg was offered the lead role. Norrington stepped away in 2011, leaving28 Weeks Laterdirector Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to take over. Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling, James McAvoy, and Mark Wahlberg again were considered for the lead role. This version lasted only a few months before Fresnadillo backed out. Between 2012 and 2016The Crowreboot news rose and fell like the tides. Everyone from Luke Evans to Tom Hiddleston to Nicholas Hoult was rumored to take the title role. The version that looked poised to release would’ve been crafted byThe HallowdirectorCorin Hardy, starring Jason Momoa, but even that has fallen through. A new version emerged in 2020, however, and it may even make it to the screen.
The newest iteration ofThe Crowis set to be helmed by AmericanGhost in the Shelldirector Rupert Sanders and written byKing Richardscribe Zach Baylin.Bill Skarsgard is setto star, almost a decade after his brother Alexander was rumored to be taking the role. Despite the unusual announced crew, the filming seems to be wrapping up sometime in September, so this one will likely be seen by fans. After fourteen years of attempting to reboot the franchise and over 28 years since the last good entry,The Crowseems primed to release. The main problem with the idea is that those 28 years have been packed with similar ideas and projects that have taken influence from the original. The modern world could be a hostile place for the reboot, but it is still possible to pull something good out of the idea.
The Crowis a revenge movie. A man is wronged, the woman he loves is brutalized, and he turns to violence to claim vengeance. It’s a simple story, it’s been a staple of the action genre since before film was available. The gritty 80s takes on the story were marked by leather jackets and pump-action shotguns. Modern iterations prefer fancy suits and sleek handguns. They’ve always been a dime a dozen.The Crowshouldn’t fit into the sameniche asJohn WickorThe Equalizer. The reboot has to lean into what makes the franchise special. The central element ofThe Crowisn’t its violence or its tone, it’s the simple narrative and the stellar presentation. It’s a supernatural gothic revenge story starring an undead musician as an invulnerable hunter and killer of those who wronged him.
The element of the 1994 film that was lacking from its sequels was style. Proyas' world was gothic, but it was also distinct. The reboot’s original concept of attempting the same story with a more realistic tone fails to understand what people enjoyed about the franchise.The revenge-focused action moviehasn’t gone anywhere. The superhero movie has only become more successful over the years. Combining the two isn’t anything new. The strength ofThe Crowhas to lie in the aspects that stand out from the pack and make it an enduring story decades later. It can’t be the same 90s throwback it was in its original release, but the unique aspects of O’Barr’s classic comic still have the strength to make something special.
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