Wings of Retribution: The Crow 2024 Takes Flight

Few stories evoke a sense of gothic darkness like the 1994 action-crime movie The Crow, directed by Alex Proyas and starring the incomparable Brandon Lee – son of the one and only Bruce Lee.

That movie not only left a mark in the hearts of cinema enthusiasts, it also set a benchmark for heroic vengeance-driven storytelling. So the news of a remake was justifiably met with concern, trust issues, and not a small amount of frustration.

After all, few people dare to cross swords with a cult classic. But add the right people to the mix, and a remake can end up becoming a highly anticipated movie.

With a $23 million budget, the original Crow movie went on to gross $94 million at the box office. Time will tell how the 2024 remake will fare. Let’s explore everything we know so far about this extraordinary reboot and also deviate a little into the halls of nostalgia to share a few heartfelt points about the original.

The Crow 2024 Team

We can’t step onto this roof without first mentioning some of the names who are going to bring the remake to life. As mentioned earlier, the right people do indeed make a difference.

Case in point, director Rupert Sanders. Known for his work in underrated movies like Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), well-received ones like Ghost in the Shell (2017), and a remarkable hit series like Foundation (2021; adapted from Isaac Asimov’s epic novels), The Crow remake seems to have found a director who can handle darkness, romance, and action without compromising human elements like love, rage, vengeance, and closure.

As for the writers, remember that even the original movie adapted the iconic comic book series from James O’Barr. This remake will also be following in those footsteps. This time round, the movie has gained an acclaimed writer like Zach Baylin – known for Bob Marley: One Love (2024), Gran Turismo (2023), and King Richard (2021).

Other skilled writers have also joined the squad, but what draws our attention and respect now is the man chosen to score the movie. Reputed composer Volker Bertelmann – known for his brilliant work in movies like One Life (2023) and All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), and series like Black Mirror (2011-present) and Barbarians (2020-2022) – has joined the team.

Handling cinematography – another major make-or-break factor in The Crow 2024 remake – is Steve Annis. His extraordinary work in movies like Inside (2023) and Color Out of Space (2019) make him a worthy addition to the crew.

We really want to cover a lot of noteworthy names here, but for brevity’s sake let’s conclude with the costume designers, Kurt and Bart. The first movie saw Brandon Lee donning a look that has since enhanced gothic expression.

Kurt and Bart’s notable work in Finch (2021), Deadpool 2 (2018), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay parts 1 and 2 (2014 and 2015), and Dallas Buyers Club (2013) speak volumes on their behalf.

Flight To The Past – Nostalgic Overview of The Crow 1994

Let’s take a step back in time, or fly as crows do. The year is 1994 and the world has been gifted the first-ever movie adaptation of the already-popular comic book series by James O’Barr.

Before we proceed, we’d like to pay homage to the first Crow, a man who redefined goth lifestyles, masculinity, and the intense passion a man shares with a woman. Brandon Lee was the guy so many guys wanted to be, and nearly every girl desired.2024 marks thirty-one years since the tragic death of Bruce Lee’s son.

Brandon Lee passed away at the ripe young age of twenty-eight, and he left while doing what he loved. For those of you who don’t know, Brandon died during the filming of The Crow.

A prop-gun disaster was to blame for the accident. Production had to shut down and the world was never going to see the film. Paramount Pictures – who initially developed and financed the movie – were looking at bleak prospects for The Crow 1994.

Entertainment Media Investment Corporation stepped in, or rather stepped up. The organization was created mainly to buy the movie and finish it using the latest in CGI at the time.

They also used body doubles where needed to wrap up Brandon’s incomplete scenes. In 2020, The Crow returned to Paramount after the legacy studio bought a minority stake in Miramax.

The latter had gained distribution rights for The Crow after Paramount’s initial exit. After much turbulence and uncertainty, the world finally got to see The Crow 1994 and Brandon Lee’s brilliant performance in it.

That standard cannot be bested, in our opinion. But the 2024 remake hopes to honour Brandon and that movie team’s legacy while also introducing his iconic character to a new generation of goths and film enthusiasts.

We say huzzah and look forward to seeing what Bill Skarsgård brings to the twilight table, or should we say the night sky.

The Crow 2024 Story And Plot

This is essentially a superhero film, one based on the 1989 limited comic book series of the same name written by James O’Barr, whose source material was the inspiration even for the 1994 Crow movie.

In the latest remake, the story won’t be deviating too far from the original comic books. This means we can expect it to be quite similar to what fans saw and loved in the 1994 film adaptation.

But we bet some clever and artistic licenses will be taken to tell this story to a modern audience. The team will be using the 1994 movie too as one of their source materials.

This veritably makes 2024 The Crow a reboot. In the original, we saw a musician named Eric Draven get murdered only to return from the dead through some unknown supernatural blessing or curse.

He later takes on the persona of an empowered hero named The Crow. In the 2024 remake, that unforgettable role has gone to the unforgettable Bill Skarsgård, whose work in excellent films like It, Barbarian, Northman, John Wick: Chapter 4, and highly anticipated upcoming projects like Nosferatu and Boy kills World has made him an outstanding casting choice to play Eric Draven, aka The Crow.

We are sure the upcoming story will include Eric’s murder and consequent resurrection, followed by his avenging-angel spree to seek justice for not only his own death but also that of his fiancée Shelly Webster.

In the 1994 original, Shelly was played by Sofia Shinas. In the 2024 remake, actress and composer FKA Twigs will be bringing the character to life. We know how important Shelly is to Eric.

In fact, she is the driving force behind what Eric does after coming back from the dead as The Crow. The two star-crossed lovers will most probably be giving us more than just tragedy.

We may also see some beautiful romantic elements in The Crow 2024 between Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs. They make an interesting couple and we can’t wait to admire their on-screen chemistry.

That self-same chemistry is what defines Eric Draven’s entire character-motivation angle in the story, so we’re betting big on the remake’s lead artists getting it right.

The Crow 2024 Script And Style

The former writer-director for this film, Stephen Norrington, stated that the remake will essentially be a “reinvention” of The Crow. Distinguishing between the 1994 movie and the new version, he said,

“Whereas Alex Proyas’ original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style.”The distributors at Lionsgate have been experiencing a slew of production issues, but they breathed a collective sigh of relief when Rupert Sanders was finalised as the director for the 2024 remake.

We can only speculate if the new director will carry forward the sentiment expressed by Stephen Norrington. Rupert Sanders is known for doing admirable work in movies like Greatness Awaits (short; 2013), Ghost In The Shell (movie; 2017), Foundation (series; 2011-present), Snow White and the Huntsman (movie; 2012), How to Destroy Angels: The Space in Between (music video; 2010), and The Life (short; 2009).

The comic book is the focal point for the 2024 Crow remake. The original writer of that comic book, James O’Barr, has gone on record stating, “…I don’t have great expectations.

I think the reality is, no matter who you get to star in it, or if you get Ridley Scott to direct it and spend 200 million dollars, you’re still not gonna top what Brandon Lee and Alex Proyas did in that first ten million dollar movie.”This script has been around for a while.

In fact, James O’Barr stated as early as October 2014, “[We’re] not remaking the movie. We’re re-adapting the book. My metaphor is that there is a Bela Lugosi Dracula and there’s a Francis Ford Coppola Dracula.

They use the same material, but you still got two entirely different films. This one’s going to be closer to Taxi Driver or a John Woo film, and I think there’s room for both of them.

Part of the appeal of The Crow comics, after all, is that they can tell very different stories.”These official quotes and notes provided enough clarity to make fans and sundry anticipate an outstanding familiar-yet-fresh story in The Crow remake 2024.

The Crow 2024 Casting

You’ll be surprised to know that Bill Skarsgård wasn’t the exclusive choice to play the iconic Eric Draven. At different stages of the casting process, big-wig actors like Bradley Cooper, Jason Momoa, Luke Evans, Jack Huston, Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling, James McAvoy, and Tom Hiddleston were being considered for the role.

Some of them were officially approached but some others were just rumours circulating online. Be that as it may, our focus is on the artist finally chosen to play this legendary character.

As development went on, Bill Skarsgård became the set-in-stone casting choice; as announced in April 2022. Judging by the first-look photos the team recently released, Bill certainly looks the part. And after watching that amazing trailer for the movie, we have a good feeling Bill Skarsgård is going to do justice to the role.

Core Characters In The Crow 2024

This is one of the most highly anticipated remakes of the year. Needless to say, the character game has to be on point. Let’s explore some of the main characters who’ll be featuring in The Crow 2024.

The team is playing a lot of cards close to its chest. We know very little about who’s playing whom in the upcoming remake. However, we already know what three major players will be bringing to the table.

1. Eric Draven

The lead character in this remake is known to millions of fans. Not only was Bill Skarsgård’s casting a welcome surprise, the fact that Eric Draven was being resurrected – quite in keeping with the tone and theme of the original comics and 1994 movie – in this remake has left many of us eager to relive his story.

The character experienced a tragic loss, but also received a supernatural opportunity to redress the wrongs done to him and the girl he loved. Bill has done some amazing work in the past, including films like It, Barbarian, John Wick: Chapter 4, Eternals, Deadpool 2, Lord of War, The Northman, Atomic Blonde, Allegiant, and anticipated upcoming projects like Nosferatu and Boy Kills World.

We have a good feeling he’s going to make Eric Draven 2.0 stand out. Eric Draven is going to be played by Bill Skarsgård.

2. Unnamed villain

We know Danny Huston has been confirmed as the remake’s villain. But we also know that The Crow 2024 is going to be a heartfelt reimagining, which implies creative detours.

So we can only guess as to what dastardly role Huston is going to fulfil in the script. In the meantime, we’re glad to know they cast a great actor for the part.

Huston’s movies include notable productions like Anna Karenina, Hitchcock, The Dead Don’t Hurt, The Last Photograph, The Aviator, Stan & Ollie, Children of Men, You Don’t Know Jack, Mr. North, Ivans Xtc, The Kreutzer Sonata, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, IO, Wrath of the Titans, Wonder Woman, The Number 23, Marlowe, 30 Days of Night, and The Constant Gardner.

The unnamed villain in this remake is going to be played by Danny Huston.

3. Shelly Webster

Playing Eric’s love interest and one of the most important roles in this story is FKA Twigs. She is going to portray the young, innocent, and beautiful Shelly Webster. It is only after her unjust murder that Eric Draven’s occult ‘return from the afterlife’ arc plays out.

FKA Twigs has been cast in this role and we’re certain she’s going to do it justice. Her work in films like Honey Boy, Brighton Beach, and The First Monday in May makes us believe in her ability to apply nuanced acting to versatile roles.

In addition to being an actress, FKA Twigs is also a composer whose soundtracks have graced movies like The King’s Man and plenty of music videos besides. Shelly Webster is going to be played by FKA Twigs.

The Crow 2024 Release Date

The Crow remake has been delayed; according to entertainment news. Previously, the movie was slated for a theatrical release on June 7 2024. We now have a new date to look forward to, namely August 23 2024.