The Crow Producer ‘Surprised’ Original Filmmakers Aren’t Proud of New Bill Skarsgård Movie

The Crow producer Molly Hassell is “surprised” the filmmakers behind the 1994 movie aren’t “more proud” of the new movie with Bill Skarsgård.

The Crow is an upcoming movie that serves as a new take on the 1989 comic book series of the same name by James ‘Barr. It stars Skarsgård as Eric Draven/The Crow, while FKA Twigs plays Eric’s finacée Shelly.

Alex Proyas, who directed the 1994 version of The Crow starring the late Brandon Lee, has been outspoken about his distaste for the new version of The Crow. He wrote in a Facebook post in March 2024, “I really don’t get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmakers 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 fan’s 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.”

What did The Crow producer say about the new movie?

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Hassell said she was surprised with the reactions she’s seen from the filmmakers who worked on 1994’s The Crow.

“It should make people proud,” she said. “I’m surprised it hasn’t made the original filmmakers more proud, because it’s a step in a different direction, but it’s a necessary step to deal with the age-old themes of love and loss.”

Writer William Schneider also said about the new version of The Crow, “We didn’t want to go the same route, because we felt like that did a disservice to the film. Instead, we wanted to chart our own course almost as a way to sort of celebrate it and say, ‘Hey, we found a new way into the story, and we want them both to exist with their own voices, with their own set of fans.’”

The Crow releases in United States theaters on August 23, 2024, from Lionsgate Films.

Brandon Schreur

Brandon Schreur has been writing about comics, movies, television shows, and all things pop culture for roughly five years. He's a lifelong cinephile who spends way, way too much money buying Blu-rays and trade paperbacks. You can find him on twitter at @brandonschreur.