Alex Proyas directed The Crow in 1994 and has been not so secretive about his disdain for the new take on the story. In the weeks leading up to the release of the 2024 remake starring Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs, the director was criticizing the existence of the film. Now that the movie is out, he is taking his airing out his frustration in the land of opinioned individuals: Facebook.
Proyas posted a series of dramatic Facebook statuses, all referencing the audience response for the reboot, which added up to less than $5 million on opening weekend. In one post, he wrote “I thought the remake was a cynical cash-grab. Not much cash to grab it seems.” Another said, “Wow. Box office is a bloodbath.” A third post read, “Wow. The reviews are brutal.” You know what else was brutal? This comment from Proyas: “Maybe they can lend their DCPs to film schools for classes on how NOT to make a movie? The theatres sure won’t need ’em after next weekend.” Ouch!
This isn’t the first time Proyas has spoken about the remake, though he had a much more neutral approach when the trailer first dropped, posting:
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.
He also took a slight jab at Bill Skarsgard’s haircut, which seems like a low blow, but at least it will grow out! It makes sense that Proyas did not want the legacy of his film tarnished, and sharing a post from a user who was “marked safe” from the remake went far enough without going for poor Bill’s hair.