Alex Proyas, director of the original 1994 The Crow doesn't think it was a good idea for Rupert Sanders to remake the upcoming Bill Skarsgård movie, Variety reported.
He wrote on Facebook, “I really don't get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow [filmmakers'] work.”
The Crow (Brandon's version) vs. The Crow (Bill's version)
“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 [fans'] 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,” the post continued.
Lee was the son of Hollywood legend and martial artist Bruce Lee. He died on the set of The Crow at 28, when he was shot with a prop gun. The movie was completed through the use of stunt doubles and digital effects.
The film was a huge commercial and critical hit. When the movie was released it was dedicated to Lee and his fiancée, Eliza Hutton. Lee's death also started the conversation and calls to make sure Hollywood sets had stricter safety measures. The accident that killed Lee is similar to what happened on Rust where Halyna Hutchins, the film's cinematographer died when she was shot from a Alec Baldwin was using.
Proyas' Facebook post linked to an article from CBR “The Crow Remake Trailer Gets Staggering Amount of Dislikes on YouTube.” The remake's trailer received significant backlash online.
Legacies: should they be left alone?
When Vanity Fair spoke with Sanders, he said that his version is a tribute to Lee.
“Obviously, it was a terrible tragedy, and it's definitely something that we've always had in mind through the making of the film,” the director told the magazine.
“Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always be synonymous with ‘The Crow' and I hope he's proud of what we've done and how we've brought the story back again. His soul is very much alive in this film. There's a real fragility and beauty to his version of the Crow, and I think Bill [Skarsgård] feels like he is a successor to that,” he continued.
This, I believe, is the issue with remakes. On the one hand, you want to respect the work that came before — especially when it has the kind of dedicated fanbase like The Crow's. However, you also don't want a shot-for-shot recreation or what's the point?
Sanders' version isn't just a remake — it's a reimagining. The original version focused heavily on Eric Draven AKA The Crow. The new version supposedly delves deeper into Eric and Shelly's (FKA twigs) love story — one not seen in the 1994 film.
It may be an oversimplification, but I think there are two sets of audiences for this movie: the ones who saw the original, loved it and are apprehensive at what this new remake would be like; and those who may or may not have seen Lee's version (and have no particular allegiance to it) and will be seeing this story for the first time.
At the end of the day, the audience decides whether or not the story is worth going to the cinema for.
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