Why Didn't The Crow Remake Succeed?

It's tempting for studios to want to reboot popular movies from the past, and that's especially true of beloved 1990s horror movies. While it's fun to see how the Scream franchise is evolving, some films should be left in the past. That includes The Crow. While several The Crow movies exist, the 1994 original is the most well-crafted one, and it's much more memorable than the other four films in the franchise.

The Crow remake was released on August 23, 2024 and got poor reviews. It also failed at the box office and only made $22.7 million against a $50 million budget. There is one reason why the movie didn't work: because it's not the 1990s anymore.

Here's Why The Crow Remake Failed

The Crow 2024 remake failed because Eric Draven has a '90s attitude and aesthetic, and it doesn't translate to the 2020s. Since Eric is in a heavy metal band, he dresses the part. Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), with his hilarious quotes, was a fun character because Stranger Things season 4 was set in the 1980s. Both Eric and Eddie look like people from the past, and Eric, played by Bill Skarsgard this time, didn't need to come back in 2024.

Even the plot of The Crow sounds like it fits better in 1994 than 2024. After Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiance Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas) are killed, The Crow brings Eric back to life so he can get even with the gang who murdered them. While this is undoubtedly a dark storyline, it's also a corny one. While every year in the 1990s has a great horror movie, not all of them should be rebooted. Although there is a timeless, tragic love story between Eric and Shelley, that isn't enough to power a remake.

The Crow remake has gotten terrible reviews, with The Guardian calling it "an unfathomably awful goth remake" and Forbes noting that it's "soulless." Many would likely agree that Eric isn't a character for the 2020s. While Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Addams is a great modern Goth character, Eric looks like he's stuck in the past. This, coupled with the fact that many critics said the remake stuck close to the original, proves that it didn't need to happen.

Both those involved with the remake and the original The Crow have shared various opinions about the new movie. Interestingly, Bill Skarsgard commented on the ending of The Crow remake in an interview with Esquire, and it doesn't sound like he agreed with the creative choices that were made. He said:

The Crow also had a tragedy on set. Brandon Lee, who played the main character Eric Draven who becomes The Crow, passed away after using a prop gun while filming the horror movie. According to NPR, Michael Massee, who played Funboy, fired the prop gun at Lee, and he unfortunately and tragically died.

Alex Proyas, who directed the original The Crow movie, didn't think that the remake needed to be made given Lee's terrible death. According to Indiewire, Proyas shared on Facebook:

Inside The Success Of The 1990s Horror Movie The Crow

The Crow was a successful movie because it became a cult classic and had a big impact on popular culture. It also made $50,710,791 at the worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo, which is fairly respectable.

According to Loudersound.com, many metal bands loved the movie, and singer Ville Valo called Eric his "hero." If it was released for the first time today, it might not have had the same impact, but many still love it. While there are some terrible '90s horror movie villains, Eric and The Crow are characters from this era that everyone remembers fondly.

Before he passed away, Entertainment Weekly interviewed Brandon Lee about starring in The Crow. He talked about the love story between Eric and Shelley and what it was like to prepare for the part. He said:

Lee put his all into the performance, and he will always be remembered as one of the most talented actors who was gone too soon. While The Crow remake wasn't a great movie, Lee's legacy will live on in the 1994 original.