Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal as Eric Draven in the 2024 reboot of ‘The Crow’ recently sparked a wave of criticism across social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit.
Known for his performance as Pennywise in the ‘It’ film series, Skarsgård’s transformation into The Crow, who was originally played by Brandon Lee in 1994, has been met with disapproval from the fanbase. On X (formerly Twitter), fans drew comparisons between Skarsgård’s appearance and streamers and emo musicians:
“2024 Crow looks like he streams on Twitch & smokes vape.”
Another wrote:
“Ricky Starks if he went emo.”
Some also suggested that the reboot’s vision strays too far from the aesthetic that defined Lee’s look:
“Don’t disrespect Darby’s tattoos like that. This is The Crow takes its look from a white boy mommy’s basement-dwelling mumble rapper. Pure crap of a look.”
One of the fans went on to say the movie is ‘massacred’ by modernity:
“It’s amazing how popular characters are getting massacred in modern movies.”
You can check out the tweets below.
2024 Crow looks like he streams on twitch & smokes vape.
— FACELESS ART 📽 (@Facelessart305) February 28, 2024
Ricky Starks if he went emo
— RnB (@FunkyRNB) February 28, 2024
1996: Sting takes his look from The Crow
2024: The Crow takes his look from Darby Allin https://t.co/WPMjl4XwC5
— tigerstylepro 📼 (@tigerstyIepro) February 28, 2024
It's amazing how popular characters are getting massacred in modern movies
— Azzalus✌ (@azzalus32) February 29, 2024
‘The Crow’ Director Defends This Look
Helmed by ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ director Rupert Sanders, with a screenplay by Zach Baylin and Will Schneider, the reboot marks the fifth installment in ‘The Crow’ film series. Despite the anticipation surrounding the film’s release on June 7, 2024, the reception of Skarsgård’s first look appears to be less than favorable.
The new ‘Crow‘ seeks to bring a new perspective to Eric Draven’s story, a murdered musician resurrected to avenge his and his fiancée’s deaths. This role has remained untouched since Lee’s tragic death during the original film’s production due to a prop gun accident.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in a new interview, Sanders defended the new direction, stating that Skarsgård’s look is a reflection of his own experiences in the 1990s London squat-raving scene, combined with modern influences like Post Malone and Lil Peep:
“I think the beauty of Bill is that he has a disturbing beauty, and as he transforms through his loss he becomes this thing that even he can’t control. It’s that famous line: ‘Whoever fights monsters must be careful that they don’t become one.’ That look was me in the ’90s when we were squat-raving in London, [mixed with some modern influences] like Post Malone and Lil Peep.”
So, the director hints at a departure from James O’Barr’s original graphic novel and the 1994 film’s aesthetic. However, fans who loved the 1994 version can still be hopeful, as a 4K release of the original is on its way, set to release on May 7, 2024.
