Rupert Sanders shared insights into his retelling of Alex Proyas’s ‘The Crow’ in a recent chat with Empire. He assured worried fans that the new version would be loyal to the original’s grunge tone and shared:
“There’s nothing to do with Hollywood in this movie at all. It’s a very scrappy indie movie. [We were] able to remain close to the center and the darkness and the violence that’s in the graphic novel. The only reason we could do that is because it’s not a studio movie.”
The director worked on the remake with a $50 million budget but said the financial limit made the process better:
“You have to be more adept at making things more efficiently, that are emotionally resonant, and not just spectacle.”
Criticism Directed At The Remake
Bill Skarsgård replaced Brandon Lee as Eric Draven in ‘The Crow.’ His version of the character received mixed reviews from fans. Proyas himself shared some concerns about the upcoming reboot on Facebook earlier this year:
“I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmaker’s work. 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 director added:
“‘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.”
Lee died from a gun malfunction on the original film’s set.
Sanders Is Sure Of His New Direction
Sanders defended his creative choices for the remake in a Vanity Fair interview. He explained the project’s new direction as follows:
“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.”
FKA Twigs joined ‘The Crow’ cast as Eric’s girlfriend, Shelly. Other names included Danny Huston, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, and Jordan Bolger.
The film is set to be released on August 23.
